The city of São Paulo recorded a historic drop in the number of vehicle thefts last January. According to data from the Public Security Secretariat of the State of São Paulo, there were 510 incidents in the period compared to 878 in the same month in 2025, a drop of 41.9%. This year’s figure was the lowest for a single month since 2001.
The Secretary of Public Security, Osvaldo Nico Gonçalves, states that the numbers are the result of a partnership between all security agencies in the state of São Paulo.
It is a very significant milestone, an index never achieved in 26 years in public security. A work that involves investigation, with the most modern technological resources, and always carried out in partnership between the Civil Police, Military, Civil Guard and bodies such as the Public Ministry and the State Department of Traffic.
Crime decreased in the capital’s eight sectional police stations. The biggest percentage drops occurred in the area of the 3rd (West) and 7th (Itaquera) units, which recorded a 48.3% drop in crime. In the 3rd section, the number went from 149 to 77 cases, while in the 7th, it fell from 122 to 63 records.
. 3,077 notifications were registered in January 2026, 6.5% less compared to 3,292 cases last year.
Fighting crime
In January of this year, . The actions are under the responsibility of Divecar (Division of Investigations into Theft, Theft and Receiving of Vehicles and Cargo) and Deic (State Department of Criminal Investigations).
“Divecar also works to combat receiving stolen parts, inspecting stores that sell vehicle parts and all types of dismantling of these vehicles, which has a significant impact on primary theft rates”, explains delegate Paul Verduraz, Divecar division.
Through its specialized units, Divecar has already carried out 14 operations to combat robbery and vehicle theft in 2026seizing more than 3 thousand vehicle parts that would be resold on the illegal market.
Strategic overt policing
The Military Police also acts on the front line against car and motorcycle theft, with systemic actions and operations in areas with higher criminal incidence. In the , held at the end of January, the work involves the cooperation of the Traffic Policing Command, which carries out strategic blocking of roads with large vehicle movements to combat crimes committed using motorcycles.
“Our prevention work also involves operations in dismantling and relies on popular participation through anonymous complaints. All of these factors help to significantly reduce vehicle theft indicators in the city of São Paulo”, says Colonel Carlos Lucena, operational coordinator of the Military Police.
Furthermore, joint work between the Civil and Military police allowed recovery of 1,363 vehicles, including cars, motorcycles and trucksin the capital of São Paulo in January this year.
