The Smart Sampa program, a public safety measure implemented by the São Paulo City Hall, has reported a troubling increase in vandalism and theft of its surveillance cameras. In 2025 alone, there were 2,210 such incidents, averaging about six incidents per day. The most affected areas are the southern and eastern zones of the city, which are also the most populous, with 669 and 589 cases of damage reported respectively. The central area, where the program originated, recorded 211 incidents.

The situation has worsened notably, with vandalism cases more than doubling from the previous year. In 2024, there were 1,033 notifications for damage to the cameras, including 307 from the southern zone. This uptick in vandalism coincides with an increase in the number of cameras deployed by the Smart Sampa initiative, which may help to explain the rise in reported incidents. As the system expands, so do the challenges of maintaining and protecting these public safety tools.

In response to the issue, the São Paulo City Hall has claimed that the percentage of damaged equipment decreased from 2024 to 2025, stating that 4.8% of cameras were recorded as damaged in 2025 compared to 5.5% in the previous year. As of December 2024, there were approximately 21,310 cameras in operation across the city. The ongoing challenges of vandalism pose significant implications for public safety and the effectiveness of surveillance initiatives in highly populated urban areas, raising concerns about resource allocation and community safety.