Security Yearbook: feminicides break record, murder rate is the lowest since 2012 São Luís recorded, in 2025, the highest rate of robberies and cell phone thefts in Brazil. There were 1,517 occurrences for each group of 100 thousand inhabitants, according to the 20th Brazilian Public Security Yearbook, released this Thursday (23). The capital of Maranhão appears ahead of Belém (PA), which registered 1,487 occurrences per 100 thousand inhabitants, and São Paulo, with a rate of 1,390.5. The survey considers Brazilian municipalities with more than 100 thousand inhabitants. ? Click here and subscribe to the g1 Maranhão channel on WhatsApp The result does not mean that São Luís recorded the highest absolute number of stolen or stolen cell phones. The ranking considers the number of occurrences in relation to the population size of each city. The report highlights the importance of the capital of São Paulo, which accounts for 5.6% of the Brazilian population and accounts for 20% of all robberies and cell phone thefts in the country. In total, more than 16 thousand cell phones were stolen or stolen in São Luís throughout 2025, equivalent to an average of 45 devices stolen per day. The recorded rate was more than four times higher than the national average, of 371.2 occurrences per 100 thousand inhabitants. São Luís already occupied the first position in the national ranking in 2024, when it recorded 1,599.7 robberies and cell phone thefts per 100 thousand inhabitants. In total, more than 17 thousand cell phones were stolen. READ ALSO: Brazil has 95 cell phones taken per hour; see cities with the worst rates and check the time, day and location of crimes Maranhão is the 2nd state in the country with the highest increase in missing people, according to the Security Yearbook See the list of the 10 cities with the highest rates of robbery and cell phone theft per 100 thousand inhabitants: São Luís (MA) leads the ranking of cities with the highest rate of devices stolen. Arte g1 Thefts happen more on weekends and robberies on weekdays The survey shows differences between the crimes of robbery and theft, and what are the times, days and places in which each of them occurs most. Thefts occur mainly on weekends. Saturdays and Sundays account for 34.5% of occurrences; Thefts predominantly occur during business days: 73.1% of cases, with a peak on Fridays; Robberies are most prevalent at two times: between 5am and 6am, and between 6pm and 11pm, with a peak at 8pm; Thefts are mainly concentrated between 10am and 12pm, and between 5pm and 8pm. Cell phones are among the main targets of criminals because of the resale value of the parts on the underground market and access to banking applications Gladys Peixoto/g1 According to the report written by Samira Bueno and Renato Sérgio de Lima, experts from the Brazilian Public Security Forum, there is a change in the pattern of robberies, increasingly concentrated at night, when people are returning from work, school or college. "As robbery is a crime that requires interaction between the criminal and the victim, it is to be assumed that at night it is simpler for robbers to escape, and also that there are fewer witnesses", says the text. In relation to crime locations, 77.2% of robberies occur on public roads. Of thefts, 49.3% occur on the streets, 15.2% in commercial establishments and 6.1% on public transport. The profile of victims also varies. Men represent 59.8% of robbery victims. In thefts, the distribution is practically balanced: 50.3% of victims are men and 49.7% are women. Less risk for the criminal According to the report, the migration from robberies to theft can be explained by the lower risk for the criminal. While robbery requires direct contact with the victim, use of violence or threats and increases the chances of arrest, robbery usually occurs without confrontation, often in busy places. "In many cases, such as on public transport or places with large circulation of people, the victim only notices the crime after it has happened", says the report produced by the Forum's experts. The yearbook also points out that increased camera monitoring, greater police action and changes in the population's behavior may have increased the "cost" of committing robberies. Furthermore, criminals began to obtain greater financial returns from robberies only when they manage to force the victim to unlock the device and provide bank passwords. In cases of theft, cell phones generally remain blocked, reducing the resale value of parts or devices.