01/11/2022 – A woman had her cell phone stolen while sat at a bench from her workplace, a mall in the Jardim da Saúde neighborhood, South Zone. The thieves were caught by security cameras at the mall’s kiosk. In the video, an allegedly pregnant woman, two men and a woman act in an orchestrated and rapid manner.
02/11/2022 – A criminal died during an attempted robbery in the Pinheiros neighborhood, West Zone. Three criminals approached a driver who was stopped at the light, they already arrived breaking the car window to try to get the cell phone. Only the driver was a sports shooter and shot the criminal.
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03/11/2022 – A man was returning home from the bakery, in Cambuci neighborhood, South Zone, when he was approached by a homeless man who asked for money. After refusing to give money, the resident was stabbed.
04/11/2022 – A gang with at least four armed criminals invaded a mansion on Rua Barão de Pirapama, in Morumbi, West Zone. The robbers took the residents hostage and forced them to make bank transfers via Pix. According to the Military Police, the criminals cloned the gate card to enter the property. After committing the crime and managing to extort the victims, the group fled the scene with a luxury armored car and a motorcycle, both stolen from the family.
04/11/2022 – A 65-year-old man was robbed and assaulted while riding a bicycle on the Paque Ecológico do Tietê bike path, in Vila Santo Henrique, East Zone. On the day of the crime, a man even warned him about two young men on bicycles who were robbing around the area. A short time later, he was approached by the criminals, who asked for his cell phone. However, the elderly man, who kept his cell phone under his clothes, denied that he owned the phone. They then got into a fight, but the pair managed to escape, taking the victim’s bicycle.
06/11/2022 – The home of former goalkeeper and former coach of the Brazilian team Emerson Leão was robbed while the athlete was traveling. The crime took place in Jardim Paulista, West Zone. Among the items taken is a gold medal from the 1970 World Cup. Leão had been away from home since Thursday (03/11) and returned this Sunday morning (06/11), when he discovered the invasion. Police officers went to the address, but no one was arrested. Apart from the medal, there are no further details of what was taken or how many people participated in the crime.
07/11/2022 – The Military Police apprehended three teenagers who stole bicycles inside a luxury condominium located on Rua Doutor Mario Cardim, in Vila Mariana, South Zone. According to the PM, three young people between 16 and 17 years old invaded the condominium’s garage, taking advantage of the moment when one of the residents was leaving the place by car. The group broke into the garage and each took a bicycle. The trio was located with the stolen bicycles in the same region.
08/11/2022 – Military police patrol exchanged shots with three criminals on Avenida Professor Ernesto de Moraes Leme, near the Butantã campus of the University of São Paulo (USP), West Zone. According to information, a kidnapping victim was found inside a vehicle that was being driven by the criminals. A pistol was also found. Later, they fled on foot and one of them was located and rescued by the Emergency Medical Care Service (Samu), as he was injured. The other two fled on foot towards the São Remo community, which is next to the university.
08/11/2022 – Three armed criminals broke into a company in the Barra Funda neighborhood, West Zone, and, as they fled, took two employees hostage, one of them an American, in a car also stolen from the company. The criminals were arrested the following day (09/11) in the neighborhood of Taípas, North Zone, and the victims were released.
09/11/2022 – Hundreds of cell phones were stolen during a Tarcísio do Acordeon concert, one of the main artists of the piseiro style, in Vale do Anhangabaú, downtown São Paulo. Fifteen people were arrested by the mass robberies that were marked by violence.
11/11/2022 – An attempted robbery of a residence ended with a chase and an intense shooting at the intersection of Avenida Indianópolis and Alameda dos Maracatins, in the Ibirapuera region, South Zone. About ten criminals broke into the house and announced the robbery. Neighbors were surprised by the movement and called the Military Police. As soon as the police arrived, they surrounded the property, but the criminals fled with stolen vehicles. There was pursuit, and the criminals shot. A school was also allegedly invaded by the gang.
12/11/2022 – A criminal died during an attempted robbery on Estados Unidos Street, in Jardins, West Zone. According to the Military Police, the victim of the robbery was wearing a Rolex watch, which was the criminal’s target. The victim, however, was in his car accompanied by a private security guard. Both realized they were being followed by a man on a motorcycle. The duo stopped the car and decided to leave, being then approached by the criminal, who demanded the Rolex watch. The security guard then shot the criminal and hit him in the neck. The thief died on the spot.
12/11/2022 – A criminal died trying to rob a plainclothes policeman on Taques Alvim street, in the Cidade Jardim neighborhood, Morumbi region, South Zone. According to witnesses, two men arrived at the scene on two motorcycles and pointed the gun at the victim, who had to intervene and shot the robbers. One of them was not hit and managed to escape. The other was shot and rescued but could not resist his injuries and died.
16/11/2022 – Two businessmen were rescued from captivity in the Jaraguá neighborhood, North Zone, after being victim of the “love scam”. Businessmen in luxury cars arranged meetings with alleged women on a dating app and when they arrived at the scene, they were kidnapped. A resident watched as one of the victims was taken into captivity and warned the police.
Our analysis:
As well as medical appointments, romantic relationships and even celebrations, some crimes migrated to the virtual environment during the coronavirus pandemic. This is the case of the kidnapping modality known as love scam (or Tinder scam), a trend among criminals that has consolidated even after the end of social isolation. According to the São Paulo Department of Strategic Police Operations of the Civil Police, the so-called Tinder scam already accounts for 60% of all kidnappings carried out in the capital this year. Of the 75 cases filed, 45 refer to extortion with restriction of liberty committed with the help of apps. The way criminals operate follows a well-defined pattern. Victims are found on dating apps, lured in by random photos of beautiful young women stolen from the internet. From a list of more than 30 apps used by criminals, the most popular are Tinder and Inner Circle. Most victims are men, residents of the of São Paulo Metropolitan area, usually from wealthier neighbourhoods, recently divorced, widowed, or even married. Chief of police Carina Santanieli, from the Anti-Kidnapping Division, reports that the meetings are always held in streets and squares around the captives, never in places that are more monitored with cameras and security guards, such as shopping malls. When they arrive at the agreed location, the victims are kidnapped by criminals at gunpoint, hooded and taken into captivity. Many are tortured. In captivity, the bandits extort the victim as best they can. They steal their savings, ask for loans and even new bank accounts in their name.
18/11/2022 – A man was arrested for the kidnapping and killing a businessman in São Paulo. The victim, 47 years old, was at work when he was taken on Wednesday afternoon (16/11), in São Bernardo do Campo. Hooded, the criminals got out of the car and announced the robbery. Three witnesses who were with the victim were placed in the company’s bathroom.
18/11/2022 – A doctor was the victim of a relationship app scam, he was kidnapped and had his car and bank details stolen in Pirituba, North Zone. The victim had a date with a woman but when he arrived to meet the woman, the doctor was surprised by two armed men, who kidnapped him until the next morning. He was taken to a house in a community on Estrada do Mestre, Sítio Botuquara, North Zone. The victim was tied up and forced to provide card passwords and perform facial recognition biometrics to take out bank loans in his name. According to the São Paulo State Security Department (SSP), the man managed to escape on Saturday morning (19/11), when the robbers fled.
21/10/2022 – Fake police officers were arrested while robbing a Bolivian family living in downtown São Paulo. An armed man got out of the car and went towards the woman who was arriving home. Then two criminals, also in police uniforms and fake badges, also entered the house. The police already had a clue about these fake officers, so they were able to follow the action and arrest those involved.
22/11/2022 – A manager of a multinational company was released from captivity after four days of kidnapping in Cidade Tiradentes, East Zone. The man was found tied up in a hiding place. He was threatened for four days by armed criminals. They made purchases with the manager’s credit card and even forced him to make transfers via Pix.
22/11/2022 – A gang formed by young people has been invading condominiums in the Vila Olímpia neighborhood, South Zone, and stealing luxury bicycles. Security cameras caught the invasion of one of these condominiums. They force open the garage door, then break into the garage and head straight for the bikes. The three stolen bicycles add up to a loss of about R$ 200,000.
24/11/2022 – Four men crossed a bus on a road to block the place and burst an ATM on Paulo Guilguer Reimberg Avenue, in the Jardim Varginha region, South Zone. According to information from the Military Police, four criminals crossed a bus on the lane to make it difficult for the police to arrive. After closing the road, the group went to an ATM located in the parking lot of a supermarket and used explosive devices to blow up the cashier. Even so, the iron drawers that store the money were not accessed by the group. The four criminals fled and have not yet been located.
24/11/2022 – An off-duty military police officer reacted to the attempted robbery in the Liberdade neighborhood, downtown São Paulo. The officer, who was on a motorcycle, was surrounded by criminals and forced to stop the motorcycle. During the shooting, a taxi driver who was close to the scene was shot. The robbers fled without taking anything.
24/11/2022 – Three foreigners were arrested for carrying out a mass robbery during Wesley Safadão’s concert, in Ibirapuera Park, South Zone. They took advantage of the fans’ distraction after Brazil’s World Cup victory to steal cell phones.
TRENDS & ADVICE
- Stay away from any protest most likely to occur in the city center, including Avenida Paulista, the MASP, Praça do Ciclista, Praça da Sé, Largo da Batata and Praça da Republica.
- Monitor the local media in order to circumvent protest locations, including social media.
- If caught in a demonstration: remain still and take the time to see which way the crowd is going; attempt to leave the area by going against the movement of the crowd; avoid using your mobile phone, taking pictures or filming the demonstration; go to the nearest building as soon as possible and wait until the situation clears; try to avoid contact with security forces if possible.
- Considering the high crime rate in São Paulo, business travelers and expatriates should comply with safety rules in order to reduce the risk linked to violent crime. In case of an assault, it is strictly recommended not to resist the attackers and avoid making any sharp movement that may irritate the assailants, who do not hesitate to open fire.
- Keep in mind useful numbers: Emergency police number (190), and São Paulo tourist Police (+55 11 3120 4447).
