Crime in São Tomé and Príncipe

The most relevant safety concerns in São Tomé and Príncipe include theft, pickpocketing, burglary and armed robbery. Home invasions are rare, but isolated roads, beaches and remote areas require greater care, particularly after dark. Violence against women, domestic violence, sexual offences and child abuse are highly relevant crime concerns. Drug offences and homicide also appear in police data, although the available national evidence is fragmented and different years cannot be compared directly as a reliable prevalence series. The 2025 PJ dashboard recorded 2,468 complaints, a 62.3% increase from 2024. Its displayed category breakdown lists 216 theft cases, 145 sexual abuse cases, 137 drug cases and 117 homicide cases. These categories total 615 rather than 2,468, so the breakdown covers only part of the complaints and does not provide a complete national crime rate. For immediate danger, contact the PN on 113, available 24 hours a day, or local police on 222-22-22. Fire and rescue services use 112. The PJ operates the free 24-hour number 8001002 and can also be reached on +239 2221271 or geral@pj.gov.st. A formal complaint can be made to the PN or PJ; serious cases may be referred to the Ministério Público. The PJ also accepts anonymous information about missing persons. No nationwide online crime-reporting system or published response-time standard has been identified. CACVD, the Centro de Aconselhamento Contra a Violência Doméstica, provides information, prevention, counselling and victim support. Rede Vida and local Gabinetes de atendimento coordinate psychological, legal, psychosocial and medical assistance, protection or accommodation, and referral to justice services. Relevant structures include the Brigada da Mulher e da Criança and, on Príncipe, the Gabinete da Família da Região Autónoma do Príncipe. Partnerships include Casa de acolhimento and Centro de Recursos e Empregabilidade. São Tomé domestic-violence contacts include 150, 8001001 and 8001002; Príncipe contacts include 9841211 and 2251560. Follow-up exists, but current nationwide capacity, accommodation availability and service deadlines are not fully verified. A consulate can provide consular assistance but does not replace local victim services. Reduce exposure by avoiding isolated places and beaches at night, keeping valuables, jewellery and large amounts of cash out of sight, carrying a copy of a passport while storing the original securely, and using established or licensed guides. During a robbery, avoid resistance and hand over property when necessary because injury carries greater risk than the loss of most belongings. Online impersonation, romance and money-transfer scams are possible, although available evidence does not show them as frequent; dating apps are not widely used. Report suspected digital crime to the PN or PJ because no dedicated public cybercrime reporting office or local public cybercrime statistics have been identified. Child protection is a significant part of crime prevention. UNICEF reported that in 2019, 84% of children aged 1 to 14 experienced violent discipline and 14% experienced severe physical punishment. The same source reported child labour affecting 11% of children aged 5 to 17. The PN recorded 58 sexual child-abuse cases in 2017, 76% more than in 2016. National child-protection services and prevention programmes exist, but the current availability of a broad clinical or psychological support system for child victims remains unclear. Police capacity is developing. The PN website is still being built, while the government portal confirms 24-hour availability. The PJ publishes police statistics and provides missing-person and stolen-property information. Its 2024–2028 strategy identifies limited staff, infrastructure and finances, as well as public-trust challenges. Current capacity-building work includes digital forensics, electronic evidence, mobile-device decryption, victim-centred investigations of violence against women and maritime crime. The INTERPOL National Central Bureau in São Tomé has operated since 1988 and connects local police cooperation to the I-24/7 network.