Brazil man was burglarized 3 times in 6 months, then decided to put an old Halloween costume to use in his neighborhood: ‘I am a symbol of hope’
After thieves reportedly broke into his home three times, the man decided his old Halloween armor might be more useful on neighborhood patrols.
A Brazilian man says burglars broke into his home three times in six months, leaving him frustrated enough to take matters into his own hands. Rather than install another security camera or buy a new lock, he dug out a medieval knight costume he’d purchased for Halloween. Now, he’s patrolling his neighborhood dressed in armor, calling himself “The Templar” and hoping his unusual appearance will discourage thieves.
The man lives in the northern part of São José do Rio Preto, in Brazil’s São Paulo state. According to g1, he bought the costume two years ago for a Halloween party but decided to repurpose it after repeated break-ins. Among the stolen belongings was a television he hadn’t even finished paying off.
The Templar now walks through three neighborhoods at irregular hours, particularly at night and during weekends. Although he has completed security guard training, he’s never worked professionally in the field. He insists his goal is to discourage crime, not confront suspected criminals or replace the police.
Three burglaries convinced him to become a neighborhood knight
The Templar says thieves broke into his home three times in just six months, always while he was away at work. He believes burglars take advantage of the fact that most residents leave for work around the same time, leaving plenty of empty houses during the day. Among the things stolen was a television he hadn’t even finished paying off.
Rather than let the thieves continue, he decided to do something himself. He pulled out the medieval armor he’d bought for a Halloween party two years earlier and began patrolling three neighborhoods that included José Bernardes Coelho, Edson Baffi, and Campo Belo. He typically makes his rounds late at night or during the early morning hours on weekends, without sticking to a regular schedule.
Despite his appearance, The Templar says he has no plans to take on criminals himself. His goal is to make potential thieves think twice by encouraging more residents to keep an eye on their streets. He urged neighbors to start making their own patrols and documenting what they see.
He also made it clear that he doesn’t support vigilante violence. “I am a symbol of hope,” he said, explaining that he wants to represent the people who’ve grown tired of losing their belongings to crime.
The city has actually reported fewer thefts this year
The Templar says his neighbors have largely welcomed the armored patrols, and he’s even noticed more police vehicles in the area since he started. He believes northern São José do Rio Preto doesn’t get enough police attention, although the city’s overall crime figures tell a slightly different story.
According to São Paulo’s Public Security Secretariat, reported thefts dropped from 6,048 during the first nine months of 2025 to 5,392 during the same period in 2026, a decrease of nearly 11%. Robberies also declined, although vehicle thefts increased by around 10%. Of course, those numbers cover the entire city, so they don’t necessarily reflect what residents in The Templar’s neighborhoods have experienced.
The man says he got the idea for his patrols after seeing similar community efforts online. He’s careful to distinguish what he’s doing from vigilante justice, insisting that residents should report suspicious activity to police rather than confront suspected criminals themselves. Whether his armored appearances have actually discouraged any burglaries remains unknown.
The Military Police and Municipal Civil Guard had not responded to requests for comment when the outlet published its report. Meanwhile, The Templar says he intends to keep patrolling, regardless of what the citywide numbers show.
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