In Greater Belo Horizonte, 115 violent crimes occur per day.
These are the latest figures from a sector experiencing a crisis in Minas Gerais. They are included in a report from the state's Department of Social Defense. Furthermore, according to the Military Police, there are an average of two robberies at bank entrances.
Minas 247 - New figures from the public security sector show that the problem is worsening in Minas Gerais. According to the Violent Crime Statistics report released by the Secretariat of Social Defense (Seds-MG), there are at least 115 violent crime incidents per day, on average, in Greater Belo Horizonte. The number is likely even worse in real life, since only reported crimes are counted, i.e., those with a police report. The so-called "violent crimes" include attempted and completed homicide, completed robbery, completed kidnapping or false imprisonment, completed extortion by kidnapping, and completed and attempted rape.
Another alarming statistic comes from the Minas Gerais Military Police. Bank exit robberies have already claimed 325 victims in Belo Horizonte in just the first four months of this year. That's an average of two robberies per day. This type of robbery, carried out at the doors of banks targeting people who have just withdrawn money, is increasing in almost all regions of the city: 21,4% in Venda Nova; 35% in Noroeste; 6,5% in Leste; 28,4% in Centro; and 10,8% in Norte. In Oeste, surprisingly, there was a 52,2% decrease.
Since the beginning of the year, the government of Antonio Anastasia (PSDB) has struggled to overcome problems in the area. In March, the governor decided to replace the former Secretary of Social Defense (Seds), Lafayette Andrada, with a more technically qualified name, that of the Public Prosecutor Rômulo de Carvalho. At the beginning of the year, Andrada's administration was accused by the press of withholding data on public safety, omitting incidents.
According to the 2012 Violence Map from the Ministry of Justice, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro showed a reduction in the homicide rate between 200 and 2010, while Minas Gerais had the largest increase in the Southeast region. The State Secretariat for Public Security (SEDS) itself reported that the rate of violent crimes in the state increased by 11% last year, compared to 2010.