São Paulo Robbery Figures Up on Last Year's for 17th Month in a Row

11/26/2014 - 09h01

Figures for robbery in the state of São Paulo in October were once again higher than figures for the same month of last year.

This is the 17th consecutive month that figures have been worse than the previous year.

This sequence is the longest since the government began keeping the current records in 2001. In the city of São Paulo, robbery has also increased.

The data was released on Tuesday (25) by the Department of Public Security.

Latrocínio (robbery followed by homicide) also increased (20.7%). Overall homicide fell by 1.8% in the state, though it increased by 3.7% in the city of São Paulo.

Car theft, however, is down by 11.1% in the state, and 12.5% in the city.

According to Fernando Grella, State Minister for Public Security, the reduction in car theft is down to a new law, in effect since July 2, which created rules for the trade of used car parts. This has led to the closure of many chop shops.

Cargo robbery has increased by 1.5% in the state, from 726 cases in October 2013 to 737 cases last month. In the city of São Paulo, the increase was 9.7%, from 411 cases in 2013 to 451 this year.

Grella argues that the law is too flexible and suggests the Penal Code should be tougher.

"When an armed robber gets caught they receive a sentence of five years and four months, unless somebody dies in the robbery, in which case it's 15 years. This logic is mistaken," he said.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

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