SÃO PAULO SECURITY INCIDENTS – SEPTEMBER MONTHLY BULLETIN

05/09/2022 – A driver was kidnapped after taking the wrong path on Rodovia dos Bandeirantes in São Paulo. He was surrendered when he was going to make U turn. The criminals closed his car and took him into captivity, but as it was already night, the bank transfers reached a limit, so the victim was forced to stay there until the next day.

Our analysis:

GPS often helps drivers. But recent cases show that there are risks.

• It is recommended to use only GPSs with up-to-date databases. Therefore, when choosing a particular product, it is important to check if the responsible company usually updates the maps frequently
• Research the destination and the route in advance, since with the car in motion, the attention to carry out the destination check decreases
• Most GPSs offer the driver three options: ‘shortest’, ‘fastest’ and ‘easier’. The naming changes depending on the system, but, in general, the options follow this pattern. The ‘easier’ favors the main roads. As these roads are more frequented places, where many people usually travel, the chance of being in danger is lower
• When suspecting that the GPS has taken him to a place he does not intend to pass, the driver must take it easy, stop and seek guidance. Public bodies are considered safer points for this. If not, stores are always a good option.
• In case of an approach by criminals, there is no 100% safe procedure. But certain measures, such as dimming the headlights, turning on the interior light and keeping your hands in plain view, can reduce the risks.

05/09/2022 – A businessman was murdered after falling into the date scam and making a Pix in the maximum daily amount in his account, about R$ 10 thousand. The businessman’s body was found in a forested region in the extreme north of São Paulo. About six hours after the kidnapping, the victim’s car was found completely burned on Francisco Alves Street, in the Vila Jaraguá neighborhood, which is about 2 kilometers from the place where the body was found.

06/09/2022 – A man was arrested after kidnapping a candidate for state deputy in the Jaraguá region, North Zone. According to the Military Police, the victim is from the Solidariedade party. On the date of the crime, he went to Avenida Paulista, in the central region of São Paulo, to participate in a podcast program. On his way out, he went to Rua Miguel Ribas, in Jaraguá, where he had arranged to meet a lady who would work on his electoral campaign. Arriving at the address, he was approached by three armed suspects. He was taken to a captivity where he was held hostage for about eight hours. According to what Thiago told the police, the group’s intention was to steal money from the electoral fund.

06/09/2022 – A man was shot during a robbery in Perdizes, West Zone. Realizing that he would be robbed, he tried to run away, but was shot in the back. The criminal, who was on a motorcycle, took the victim’s cell phone and fled.

13/09/2022 – A motorcyclist was shot dead during a robbery on the Raposo Tavares highway (SP-280), in Butantã region, West Zone. Two men were arrested and a teenager apprehended. According to the police, the criminals were on a stolen motorcycle and approached the victim, who had just left a gas station.

13/09/2022 – Police carried out an operation against a gang that applied the fake “boleto” (bill) scam. Among those arrested is a bank manager. 34 search and seizure warrants were also executed in six cities. According to the police, the bank manager informed the other criminals when someone would have to pay a bill. The scammers would then send a fake ticket to the victim. When the bill was paid, the money went to another shell company. The victim lost the money and continued with the debt.

Our analysis:

The “boleto” (bank bill) is the second most used payment method in Brazil, second only to the credit card. Care must be taken to avoid falling into scams:

• Check the barcode: On a real boleto, the barcode numbers that appear in the upper and lower region are exactly the same
• Check the source: Always make sure that the source of the ticket is reliable. Many scammers send the fake boleto via email, SMS or WhatsApp, instead of using official channels such as online stores. So, if you made any purchases online or accessed a trading website, issue your boleto through the official website
• Pay attention to bank slip data: Portuguese errors are very common to appear in fake bills. Always check the information such as expiration date, CNPJ and name of the beneficiary
• Note the amount: The boleto price appears in two places, at the end of the barcode and in the “document value” space. If it is not the same, do not pay. Another warning sign is to include a different price in a charge that usually has a fixed amount
• Analyze the beneficiary’s data: Note the issuer’s CNPJ described in the bill. The company may use its Corporate Name (official company name) instead of the trade name. If the name that appears on the ticket is unknown to you, search the company’s website or do an internet search to make sure

13/09/2022 – Criminals captured a truck driver on Rodovia Anhanguera (SP-330) and took him to a point known as Estrada do Adubo. About R$ 3 million worth of electronic goods, which were in the truck, were taken by the criminals. The truck driver was in the possession of criminals and was even assaulted. An escort car, with two security guards, accompanied the truck driver but was also stopped by the gang.

19/09/2022 – An operation in Cracolândia surrounded Helvétia Street to approach dozens of people in the central region of São Paulo. The 22nd stage of Operation Charonte began at 17:00 and arrested nine people and apprehended a teenager. The identification of the targets was made, according to the police, through recorded images. In addition to the arrests, drugs, nine precision scales and objects for drug use were seized.

21/09/2022 – Criminals broke into a residence located in the West Zone of São Paulo. They gained access after cloning the garage door remote. The criminals spent nine hours at the residence and stole R$60,000 between jewelry, money and electronic equipment. They also stole two luxury cars.

29/09/2022 – Three bandits were arrested after taking children and teachers hostage inside an English school in the Morumbi neighborhood, south of the capital. Before, they had robbed a mansion in the same neighborhood where they assaulted and threatened five family members. It took almost two hours of negotiations. The criminals were even armed with rifles and shot at the military police.

30/09/2022 – A military police officer reacted to a robbery, fought with the criminals and ended up shot. The PM was getting out of the car when he was approached by two criminals, he reacted, fought with the criminals and during the fight was shot in the abdomen.

Our analysis:

Reacting to a robbery is very risky. Usually, the person carrying a gun has a big advantage over the unarmed victim. Besides, a simple escape attempt can have a fatal outcome, since the offender is also in a stressful situation, and may take unthinking and disproportionate measures. It is therefore important to remain as calm as possible. The most precious asset to protect in such cases is human life, so the best thing to do is to let the perpetrators take the assets so that the physical integrity of the victims is guaranteed.

TRENDS & ADVICE