Cargo thefts in Baixada Santista fall by 84% and reach the lowest rate since 2002

Cargo thefts in Baixada Santista fell by 84.6% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year. This mark represents the lowest index recorded since 2002.

The data was released by the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat (SSP-SP) and, according to the agency, eight incidents occurred between January and March, compared to 52 in the same period in 2025.

The retreat represents the continuation of a downward trend in recent years. In 2018, the region registered 140 cases. In 2023, in the first year of the current administration, 117 incidents were recorded. Since then, the numbers have been decreasing consecutively.

The highlight of the survey was Praia Grande, which showed the greatest reduction in cases. There were 11 occurrences in 2025 and no records in 2026. In March of this year, only 2 cases were registered in the entire Baixada Santista, one in Santos and the other in Guarujá, presenting the lowest monthly volume ever recorded in 26 years.

The balance also includes the other six cities in the Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region: Bertioga, Cubatão, Itanhaém, Mongaguá, Peruíbe and São Vicente.

In a note, Carlos Afonso Silva, coordinator of the Cargo Theft and Theft Prevention Program (Procarga), claimed that the region has always been attractive to criminals due to the Port of Santos, which “facilitates the flow of illicit goods”. But he also pointed out that Baixada Santista has been the target of several operations to combat cargo theft, which contributes to the reduction of indicators.

“A significant portion of robberies are carried out by criminal organizations, which are dismantled and end up migrating their focus of activity or territory,” he stated.

In the state of São Paulo, cargo thefts fell 32.4% in the first quarter, decreasing from 971 to 656 records, the lowest rate for the period since 2001. In the interior of São Paulo, there was also a record low, with 103 occurrences between January and March, a reduction of 46.3% compared to 2025.