According to a report published by Daily Mail on Monday, July 22, 2024, a bustling corner in São Paulo had turned into a scene of tragedy as a young boy’s life came to a sudden end moments after committing a petty crime.
The incident was caught on surveillance footage. In the footage, a 17-year-old boy approaches a 71-year-old man who is casually talking on his cell phone at a street corner.
The scene is a common one in the southeastern city, where streets are frequently bustling with activity.
Without warning, the teenager snatches the phone from the unsuspecting elderly man and takes off running, his sudden movement jolting the man and onlookers alike.
The victim, who was about to cross the street, is left in shock as the boy races towards an intersection.
Within seconds, the teen’s escape plan turns disastrous. A bus, oblivious to the unfolding drama, barrels through the intersection and strikes the boy with a sickening thud. The vehicle comes to an immediate stop, but the damage is done.
Eyewitness Pedro Garbin, 38, recounted the horrifying scene to Brazilian news outlet Metropoles.
“He rolled onto the curb. He was lying down, talking, moving,” Garbin said, describing the moments after the impact. The boy, though gravely injured, was conscious and in visible agony.
Gabriel Silva, 20, who was in the midst of cutting a customer’s hair at a nearby barbershop, was also drawn to the scene by the noise.
“I heard a loud noise and ran out into the street immediately,” Silva recalled. “He was lying in agony on the ground.” The teen was swiftly transported to Brasilândia Hospital, but despite the medical team’s efforts, he succumbed to his injuries. report from News.com
This tragic event is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a larger issue plaguing São Paulo and Brazil at large.
According to the Brazilian Security Forum’s annual report released last Wednesday, the state of São Paulo recorded at least 158,150 thefts and 137,891 cellphone robberies in 2023.
The state capital alone saw an average of 1,781.6 cell phones stolen or robbed per 100,000 inhabitants.
Nationwide, the numbers are even more staggering, with 937,294 cell phones stolen or robbed last year, an average of 107 every hour.
Samira Bueno, director of the Brazilian Security Forum, spoke to news outlet G1 about the shifting patterns in property crime across the nation.
“It was already a trend, but with the reduction in the circulation of people, with the digitalization of banking in general, both cellphone theft and fraud are becoming more accessible because your entire life is on your cellphone,” Bueno explained.
The ease with which thieves can access not just the device but the wealth of personal information it contains has led to a “profound change in the dynamics of property crime,” she noted.
“Sometimes it’s not just yours, it’s your entire family’s life. It’s photos, it’s other people’s contacts. This reveals a change in patterns.”
