Quito Police Report 25% Drop in Seven Crime Indicators, but Hypercenter Remains a Hotspot

Quito police data show a decline in the main crimes tracked in the capital, but the city center remains the place residents are told to watch most carefully.

El Comercio reports that the seven crime indicators monitored in Quito fell 25% between January 1 and May 9, 2026, compared with the same period of 2025, according to Colonel Patricio Almendariz, commander of the Quito Metropolitan District.

What Police Are Counting

The seven indicators listed by El Comercio are robberies against people, theft of vehicle accessories and parts, car theft, motorcycle theft, home burglary, commercial-premises robbery, and robbery on road corridors.

According to the report, Quito recorded 1,388 fewer criminal events across those indicators than in the same period of 2025.

Robbery against people remains the largest category. El Comercio reports 2,418 cases in the same period last year and 2,016 this year, a reduction of 402 events.

Vehicle-accessory and autoparts theft also fell: 1,101 reports in the same period of 2025 compared with 691 this year, a reduction of 410 events, or 37%.

Where To Stay Alert

El Comercio reports that Quito's hypercenter appears as the zone with the highest recurrence of crimes on police heat maps. The article points to the concentration of banks, public entities, restaurants, parks, embassies, schools, private companies and other activity as a factor in opportunity crimes.

What This Means For Expats

The headline number is encouraging, but it does not mean the risk is gone. For residents and visitors in Quito, the practical advice is still familiar: keep phones and laptops out of sight, favor well-lit and busy streets, and pay extra attention around the hypercenter and business districts.

Source: El Comercio