Mobile phone thefts in the western zone of Rio increased in the first half of 2025, reaching 960 records, compared to 836 in the same period of 2024. The data shows that the increase in crime affects populated neighborhoods with large shopping centers, notably Campo Grande and Realengo, which concentrate the highest volume of incidents, according to a survey carried out by Mapa do Crime, an interactive tool whose second edition was launched this week by GLOBO.
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In the regional ranking, Campo Grande, which has more than 352 thousand inhabitants, appears as the neighborhood with the most cases of cell phone theft between January and June 2025, totaling 192 incidents, an increase of 40.1% compared to last year. Next come Realengo, with 181 cases (increase of 2.8%), and Bangu, with 180 cases, an increase of 17.6% in annual comparison. Together, the three districts represent a significant part of the region’s archives.
In addition to the large absolute volumes, the survey also shows significant percentage growth in neighborhoods that started from smaller bases. In Deodoro, for example, cell phone thefts more than doubled, from 25 to 64 cases. In Pedra de Guaratiba, records doubled, from eight to 16 occurrences.
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See the ranking of cell phone thefts in the West Zone (1st half of 2025):
- Campo Grande: 192 cases from January to June 2025; 137 from January to June 2024 — increase of 40.1%
- Realengo: 181 cases from January to June 2025; 176 from January to June 2024 — increase of 2.8%
- Bangou: 180 cases from January to June 2025; 153 from January to June 2024 — increase of 17.6%
- St. Cruz: 77 cases from January to June 2025; January 56 to June 2024 — 37.5% increase
- Deodoro: 64 cases from January to June 2025; January 25 to June 2024 — 156% increase
- Guaratiba: 64 cases from January to June 2025; from January to June 2024 — increase of 6.7%
- Patience: 28 cases from January to June 2025; from January to June 2024 — increase of 55.6%
- Magalhães Bastos: 28 cases from January to June 2025; from January to June 2024 — decrease of 22.2%
- Father Miguel: 30 cases from January to June 2025; from January to June 2024 — decrease of 3.2%
- Sulacap Garden: 22 cases from January to June 2025; from January to June 2024 — decrease of 31.3%
What is the difference between pedestrian theft and cell phone theft?
Pedestrian theft and cell phone theft crimes, which can even occur at the same time, are recorded separately by the authorities – and for good reason. Foot theft – also called bystander theft – refers to the theft of any personal property carried out with threat or violence while the victim is walking on the street, which can include bags, wallets, jewelry, among other items.
Cell phone theft, as the name suggests, exclusively concerns cases in which the device is the target of the theft. The phone can fuel criminal material in several ways: it can be unlocked and used for bank transfers, resold clandestinely or even taken apart to sell parts.
What is the crime map?
What are the most dangerous neighborhoods in Rio and Niterói? Where have the thefts progressed? When is the least safe time to walk in your neighborhood? To help answer these questions and understand the dynamics of violence in these cities, GLOBO developed the Crime Map, an interactive theft monitoring tool with unprecedented crime data by neighborhood.
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After launching the first edition in the middle of this year, with data from 2024 referring to the city of Rio, we are now publishing the second edition of the platform, based on data referring to the first half of 2025, with information on four different crimes — cell phone thefts, thefts from passers-by, vehicle thefts and collective thefts — in 147 different neighborhoods of the capital of Rio de Janeiro, in addition to 51 neighborhoods of Niterói.
The tool was created using microdata obtained via the Access to Information Act from the Institute of Public Security (ISP). The body, responsible for compiling security statistics in the state, publishes monthly indicators divided by battalion and police station areas, which in most cases cover several neighborhoods. Seeking to understand hyperlocal criminal dynamics, GLOBO requested more precise data on the location of crimes and received information on the neighborhoods where each incident was recorded, the smallest territorial unit made available by the ISP. This is the first time crime indicators in Rio have been published with this level of detail.
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