Brazil: Police warn visitors, 'Don't scream if robbed'

Brazilian police have put together a pamphlet of top tips for staying safe during the World Cup next month, with suggestions such as making sure not to scream if someone tries to rob you, it is reported.

"Do not react, scream or argue," says the brochure, which will be handed out by Brazilian embassies and consulates, Estadao de Sao Paulo newspaper reports. Sao Paulo police, who reportedly put together the document, are aiming their security tips at football fans planning to attend the World Cup tournament that kicks off in June.

The idea is apparently to warn visitors not to provoke robbers into further violence, and avoid the increasingly common crime of "latrocinios" - or robbery that ends in murder. "Tourists come mainly from Europe and the United States, where they do not see this crime very often," says Mario Leite, who is in charge of World Cup security in Sao Paulo.

Tourists are also advised not to flaunt valuable objects that might attract robbers, to be careful at night, make sure they are with other people and to check nobody is following them. The guidelines might sound extreme, but police officer Mario Leite says they are there to deal with realities on the ground. "There is no use crying over spilt milk," he says.

Brazil has one of the world's highest murder rates. In 2012, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said 25.2 people are killed per 100,000 population.

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