By Michael Harlow · Published November 4, 2026 · About 6 minutes to read

Phone Theft in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro: Where It Happens and How to Protect Yourself

Phone theft is common in Brazil's two biggest cities. A few habits can lower your risk, and a little preparation makes things much easier if it does happen.

The numbers, briefly

Brazil recorded 792,284 police reports of phone robbery and theft in 2025, down from 855,113 in 2024, according to the Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública's 2026 yearbook. Because one report can cover more than one device, the number of phones taken was higher: 830,890, or about 95 an hour (CNN Brasil, July 2026). Most reports are for furto (theft without violence), not roubo (robbery): 483,561 theft reports against 308,723 robbery reports in 2025 (O Povo, July 2026).

São Paulo: State security data show 161,666 phones stolen or robbed in the city in 2025, about 442 a day and slightly fewer than the 163,437 of 2024. Statewide, robberies fell while thefts rose (Folhapress via Acessa, January 2026). The state also reported a 16% drop in phone robberies in the city from January to May 2026, compared with the same months of 2025 (CNN Brasil, July 2026).

Rio de Janeiro: In 2025, Rio moved against the national trend. Its Instituto de Segurança Pública counted 72,228 phone thefts and robberies statewide, close to 200 a day (SBT News, January 2026). Rio and Paraíba were the only two states where combined cases rose in 2025, Rio by 22.7% (CNN Brasil, July 2026).

Where it tends to happen

São Paulo. State data for January and February 2025 put Avenida Paulista at the top of the city's addresses, with 469 reports. Praça da Luz (320), Rua Augusta (246) and Rua da Consolação (230) also rank high. By neighborhood, Pinheiros (1,023), Bela Vista (831) and Bom Retiro (705) lead the list, and the west zone and the center have the highest rates (BNews SP, April 2025). Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, the business corridor, ranked eighth with 185. It saw a sharp rise in 2023: 618 phone robberies from January to July, almost three times the 208 of the same period in 2022 (Metrópoles, September 2023).

Rio de Janeiro. In 2025 the police station covering Centro (the 5th precinct, in the Mem de Sá area) recorded more than 4,400 cases. Copacabana recorded more than 3,200, and about nine in ten of those were thefts: 2,981 thefts against 233 robberies (SBT News, January 2026). In practice, keep your phone close downtown and in Copacabana, including on the beach.

How it usually happens

Bike snatches. São Paulo police describe suspects on bicycles approaching pedestrians on sidewalks, where patrol cars and motorcycles can't reach. Some carry insulated delivery backpacks to pass as app couriers. A police operation focused on Avenida Paulista has seized 825 bicycles since January 2023 (ABC do ABC, October 2026).
Quiet theft. In a furto, the phone is taken while you are distracted, often without you noticing (Viva, February 2026). Nationally in 2025, 49.3% of thefts happened on the street, 15.2% in shops and other businesses, and 6.1% on public transport (CNN Brasil, July 2026).
Timing. About four in ten robberies in 2025 happened between 6 and 11 p.m., peaking at 8 p.m., with a smaller spike from 5 to 6 a.m. Thefts clustered from 10 a.m. to noon and from 5 to 8 p.m., and 34.5% fell on weekends (CNN Brasil, July 2026).

Practical habits that help

Step aside to use your phone. Don't walk with it held out at the curb. Stand with your back to a wall or step into a shop to check a map or call a ride.
Bring less to the beach. Leave your main phone at your hotel, or bring an inexpensive backup. Never leave a phone on a towel when you go into the water.
Use inside pockets and zipped bags. This matters most in crowds, on the metro and at nightlife spots.
Be careful near the curb and in cars. Walk away from the road edge on busy avenues. In a car or rideshare, keep your phone out of sight when the window is open and the car is stopped.
Turn on your phone's built-in protections before you go. Use a strong lock screen, biometrics and Find Hub (Android) or Find My (iPhone). In November 2025, Google announced a phased pilot turning on Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock by default on newly activated or reset Android phones in Brazil (Google Brasil blog, November 2025). If your phone was set up elsewhere, check Settings yourself.
Consider an extra layer. With Thummer, an Android app, your thumb rests in an on-screen bubble; if it lifts, the screen goes black, a fingerprint check runs, and the phone locks within five seconds.
Write down your IMEI. It's in your phone's settings. Keep the number, plus your carrier's and bank's phone numbers, somewhere other than your phone.

If someone threatens you, hand over the phone. Don't resist, and never chase or confront a thief. A phone can be replaced; you can't.

What to do if it's stolen

Our first 10 minutes checklist covers the general steps. In Brazil:

Lock and locate it remotely at android.com/find or iCloud.com/find, and change your main passwords. Brazil's telecom regulator, Anatel, also recommends asking your carrier to block the line and the device (Anatel, updated December 2025).
Call your bank to freeze cards and payment apps.
File a police report (boletim de ocorrência).
- São Paulo: the online Delegacia Digital takes reports, but you must create an account, and its sign-up form asks for a CPF, Brazil's taxpayer number. Visitors without one should go to a police station.
- Rio: the Tourist Police (DEAT) are at Av. Afrânio de Melo Franco 159, Leblon, tel. +55 21 2332-2893 or 2332-2887 (Riotur). Rio's online reporting system also requires a CPF (Portal Tela, September 2025), so most visitors will need to go in person.
Know what Celular Seguro is. This federal program sends an alert so Brazilian carriers and participating banks can suspend the phone and linked financial services. It requires a gov.br login with a CPF, and the line must be registered to that CPF (Ministry of Justice quick guide). That makes it mainly useful to residents and long-stay visitors with a Brazilian SIM. Use only the official app or website, because fake "Celular Seguro" links have circulated (Olhar Digital, December 2023).

Keep the phone tucked away in the hotspots, set up its protections before your trip, and know your reporting steps.

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