Brazilian police reported mobile phone thefts dropped 36% during São Paulo’s 2025 Carnival celebration. Officers disguised as Power Rangers and Mario Bros characters successfully infiltrated crowds to catch thieves in action.
A statement from the São Paulo state government confirmed 828 phone theft reports between February 28 and March 4, 2025. This number marks a significant decrease from the 1,299 thefts recorded during 2024 Carnival festivities.
Police employed multiple creative strategies to combat criminal activity. Teams of officers dressed as superheroes and popular characters patrolled among millions of revelers. They established mobile security bases throughout the city and deployed advanced surveillance technology.
Public Security Secretary Guilherme Derrite praised the innovative approach. “Our strategic actions targeted criminals who exploit large celebrations when people become distracted,” said Derrite. The disguised officers specifically focused on protecting carnival attendees from pickpockets.
São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous city, attracted approximately 16 million participants across nearly 700 street parades. This massive celebration presents significant security challenges each year. Authorities responded with increased personnel and undercover operations.
Brazil’s Operation Carnival and Mobile Theft Epidemic
The Civil Police’s Operation Carnival resulted in 24 arrests and recovered valuable stolen property. Officers retrieved 89 mobile phones and 167 bank cards from suspected thieves. Governor Tarcisio de Freitas shared videos showing costumed officers apprehending suspects.
Brazil faces what experts call a “silent epidemic” of mobile phone theft. Approximately one in ten Brazilians experienced mobile theft last year. Criminal gangs specifically target large events like Carnival to steal phones for access to banking applications.
The government previously launched the “Celular Seguro” app to combat this problem. This technology allows victims to quickly lock stolen devices and banking applications. Brazil also became the first country to test Google’s “thief mode” feature on Android devices.
Mobile theft contributes to Brazil’s broader cybercrime problem. Last year, cybercrime caused estimated economic damage of $34 billion in Brazil. This figure exceeds the combined annual public security spending by all government levels.