Robberies and thefts have surged in the weeks leading up to Christmas, raising alarms in Chile's commerce and government sectors. Police statistics show surprise robberies increased by 20.1% in 2024 compared to the previous year. To counter this, the government launched the 'Navidad Segura' plan, deploying 2,100 carabineros.
A group of criminals burst into a clothing store at Outlet Buenaventura in Quilicura on December 11, stealing over $200 million in goods in just three minutes. This incident adds to other heists in Maipú shopping centers, underscoring the rise in robberies during the Christmas season due to heightened commercial demand and illicit markets.
In 2024, surprise robberies rose 20.1% and thefts 11.3% during the week of December 18-24 compared to the previous year, according to Carabineros' Tactical Operational Police System (STOP). Historically, in December 2023, surprise robberies increased 23.9% from April, and violent robberies 14.1%. In 2024, thefts grew 5.8% compared to April. The last weeks of 2023 accounted for 8.8% of annual surprise robberies and 8% of violent ones; in 2024, the figure for surprise robberies was 8%.
Criminology master's Jorge Tobar explains that 'Christmas and New Year are a period with high criminogenic load because commercial exchange and consumption are extremely high, forming large crowds of consumers that are also criminal targets.' Retired Carabineros General Aldo Vidal adds that 'in these weeks before Christmas, several risk factors concentrate, such as greater money circulation, high-traffic stores, people's distraction, extended hours'.
The government launched the 'Navidad Segura' plan on December 10, with 2,100 carabineros and 500 logistical resources, conducting 430 national police services, including 100 in shopping centers and over 330 in Christmas fairs. It added 175 critical points in the Metropolitan Region. In 2024, crimes decreased from 2023, with 788 arrests, over 79,000 checks, and seizure of 28 firearms.
ALTO Chile reports intimidation robberies up 62.5%, force robberies 30.8%, and thefts 7.3% this period in 2024. ALTO's legal manager Eduardo Hernández states that 'the behavior pattern shows an upward trend as the year progresses.' Thefts now target high-value items like electronics and cosmetics, with a 101.3% rise in pharmacies, aided by informal markets.