Civil police recorded 4,318 cases of stolen motorcycles in the city of São Paulo between January and October this year. According to official figures, there were on average more than 14 cases per day in the first ten months of the year, and the main roads in southern São Paulo stand out in terms of numbers.
The investigation of Metropolises was based on transparency data from the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) itself, using the criteria established by the entity (removal of duplicates by police station name, year and BO number). The report only takes into account thefts, when violence is used, and not thefts.
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Motorcycles on Marginal Pinheiros, in São Paulo
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Motorcycles on Marginal Pinheiros, in São Paulo
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Motorcycles on Marginal Pinheiros, in São Paulo
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Motorcycles on Marginal Pinheiros, in São Paulo
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Motorcycles on Marginal Pinheiros, in São Paulo
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Motorcycles on Marginal Pinheiros, in São Paulo
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Motorcycles on Marginal Pinheiros, in São Paulo
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Motorcycles on Marginal Pinheiros, in São Paulo
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South zone
The southern area of São Paulo is full of large avenues with lots of motorcycle traffic. When it comes to road accidents, these are the roads that always appear at the top of the ranking with the most accidents.
He draws attention to the fact that Estrada do Alvarenga, which connects the capital to Diadema, according to ABC, reached the peak in the number of incidents, with 40 thefts. Among the five localities where the most motorcycle thefts are recorded, only Rodovia Anhanguera is located outside the southern area of São Paulo.
Discover the roads with the most motorcycle thefts in 2025
- Alvarenga Road – 40
- Route de M’Boi Mirim – 35
- Anhanguera Highway – 34
- Itapecerica Road – 27
- Dona Belmira Marín Avenue – 26
- Raimundo Pereira de Magalhães Avenue – 25
- Estrada do Campo Limpo – 23
- Aricanduva Avenue – 23
- Avenue Ragueb Chohfi – 21
- United Nations Avenue – 21
Popular motorcycles, quite present in the park in general, are also the most targeted by thieves. Models between 160 and 250 displacement are at the top of the ranking of the most stolen by criminals in the capital of São Paulo.
See the most stolen motorcycle models in 2025
- FAN Honda CG 160 – 509
- Honda CG 160 Titan – 246
- Yamaha FZ25 FAZER-188
- Honda/CG 160 Start – 170
- Yamaha/XTZ250 Landing Gear – 150
- Honda/ADV 150-108
- Honda/CB300F TwisterABS – 89
- Yamaha/MT03 ABS-85
- Yamaha/NMAX 160 – 70
- Honda/PCX 150-59
Sunday
The main day off for workers is also the time when motorcycle thieves are most “poisoned”. Sunday tops the list of cases, with 726 cases (17%), followed by Saturday, with 687 (16%).
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When night comes
Nighttime tends to be the time of day with the highest incidence of crime in virtually all types of activities. However, in the case of motorcycle thefts, this trend is even more pronounced. In 2025, 57% of robberies targeting motorcycles took place between 6 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.
Motorcycle Taxi Strategy
Uber and 99 announced at the end of November their intention to operate the motoapp (motorcycle taxi) service in the capital of São Paulo starting next Thursday (11/12).
Metropoles asked the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) if there would be changes in the way of preventing thefts if the motorcycle taxi was actually implemented. The ministry said it was monitoring the matter and maintaining plans to adapt policing to new mobility scenarios.
“If there is municipal regulation and an expansion of this type of service, the police will have the operational capacity to absorb the increase in motorcycle circulation, with reinforced inspection and analysis of possible impacts on criminal indicators,” he said in a note.
According to the SSP, patrol arrangements will be defined based on established standards, traffic volume and the most affected areas.
What the SSP says
The Secretariat of Public Security (SSP) indicated, in a press release, that the fight against thefts and motorcycle thefts in the capital is carried out in a continuous and integrated manner by the civil and military police, with emphasis on intelligence, preventive actions and rapid response to incidents.
“The Military Police is intensifying its patrols in areas with higher criminal incidence, including the main corridors of the southern zone, using data analysis, heat maps and specific strategies. Actions include overt policing operations, operations targeting motorcycles, blockades, approaches and patrols with radio patrols and Tactical Force teams, for example,” he said.
According to the SSP, the civil police are carrying out operations to identify the perpetrators, dismantle the gangs and recover the stolen vehicles. The information collected guides both investigations and prevention work in collaboration with the PM. “Thanks to the efforts already undertaken, between January and October of this year, compared to the same period of the previous year, records of thefts and motorcycle thefts decreased by 10% in the capital, with 1,498 fewer incidents,” he said.
The ministry highlighted “Operation Centauro”, carried out by the 3rd Specialized Center for the Repression of Crimes and Miscellaneous Events (Headquarters) in collaboration with the Police Districts, with emphasis on the fight against crimes involving motorcycles.
He also indicated that the State Department of Criminal Investigations (Deic) counted 523 prisoners, 463 vehicles recovered and more than 254 thousand items seized between January and November.
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