# Violent crime and robberies in Argentina and Chile

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/violent-crime-and-robberies-in-argentina-and-chile
> Updated: 2026-08-23T22:26:36.000Z. Sources: 83. Developments: 2.

Criminal activity in Argentina and Chile continues to involve violent incidents, high-value thefts, and public disturbances. In Argentina, recent reports highlight a range of offenses, including an armed robbery at a school where a father was targeted while with his six-year-old daughter, and a daylight robbery at the La Pérgola pizzeria in San Justo.

In Olavarría, an attempted robbery occurred at a Fava commercial branch when a suspect threw bricks at the storefront. Public disturbances have also been noted; in San Martín de los Andes, police used non-lethal riot control ammunition to disperse a violent crowd following a birthday celebration, resulting in injuries to three officers and damage to a police vehicle.

Newer reports from Argentina include the detention of a 34-year-old man in Merlo, Carlos Jonathan Ríos, for the alleged kidnapping and indecent exposure of an 8-year-old girl. Additional commercial robberies were noted in Ushuaia, alongside a driving offense in Buenos Aires involving a driver who exceeded the legal blood alcohol limit.

In Chile, a pharmacy in Quillota reported a theft of approximately 10 million pesos in cash and medication after an intruder entered through the second floor. In Coquimbo, detectives arrested two men for possessing stolen industrial machinery valued at 3.5 million pesos. These developments follow a pattern of significant criminal activity in the region, including previous armed assaults on families in Santa Fe and General Lagos, large-scale thefts in Catamarca and Tucumán, and jewelry store robberies in Chile.

## Claims

- An armed family was assaulted in General Lagos, Santa Fe, resulting in one adult being struck in the head with a firearm. (single source)
- Assailants in General Lagos stole a television and two bicycles from a residence. (single source)
- A 23-year-old merchant in Guaymallén was robbed of 200,000 pesos at gunpoint. (single source)
- Four armed individuals robbed the Caroline jewelry store in Viña del Mar of approximately 75 million pesos in jewelry and cash. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-23: Global crime reports: Homicides and robberies reported in Spain, Argentina, and beyond

Multiple criminal reports emerge from Spain, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Paraguay, and Mexico, involving homicides, extortion, armed robberies, and sexual assault arrests.

78 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/violent-armed-robberies-reported-in-argentina-and-chile

### 2026-08-20: Catamarca faces surge in robberies and violent crime

Catamarca is facing a rise in crime, including high-value thefts, residential robberies, and violent assaults, leading to increased police interventions and arrests.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/catamarca-faces-surge-in-robberies-and-violent-crime

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Cite as: Violent crime and robberies in Argentina and Chile. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/violent-crime-and-robberies-in-argentina-and-chile