Crime in Germany drops 10 percent in 2017, report shows - Deutsche Welle

The number of crimes reported in Germany fell by almost 10 percent in 2017, according to police statistics published by the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

It is reportedly the sharpest year-on-year drop in over 25 years.

Read more: German police launch crackdown on human trafficking, organized crime

Breakdown of crimes

The report found:

• There were 5.76 million crimes reported in 2017, 9.6 percent fewer than in 2016.
• About one-third of all crimes were theft offenses, dropping by 11.8 percent.
• Shoplifting decreased by 6.6 percent, to 353,384 cases, and pickpocketing by 22.7 percent, to 127,376.
• 33,263 cars and 300,006 bicycles were stolen — down 8.6 and 9.8 percent, respectively.
• Burglaries fell 23 percent, to 116,540 cases, although 80 percent of burglaries are still not solved.
• Violent crime declined by 2.4 percent, to 188,946 cases, of which 137,058 involved serious bodily injury.
• Murders increased by 3.2 percent, to 785 cases.
• Drug offenses rose 9.2 percent, to 330,580 cases.
• Child pornography cases rose 14.5 percent, to 6,512 cases.
• The number of non-German suspects fell 22.8 percent, to 736,265.

Read more: German states look to reintegration to reduce migrant crime

Decrease in migrants

The chairman of the German Police Officers' Union, Oliver Malchow, told Welt am Sonntag to avoid "premature conclusions regarding the security situation."

He said a large part of the drop was related to the fact that fewer asylum-seekers have come to Germany. But he conceded that "since the report started in 1993, we have not recorded such a large decline."

Read more: Germans fear the rise of 'lawless' neighborhoods, poll shows

Public opinion: The drop in crime numbers follows a poll that found about half of Germans believe there are places in the country so lawless that even police will not venture into them. Migrants are often blamed for increased crime rates, despite the Federal Criminal Police's reporting that foreigners are less likely than native-born Germans to commit every category of crime.

Official release: Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer will present the numbers at the Conference of Interior Ministers on May 8.

Read more: Amid controversy, Germany's police struggle to find recruits

aw/jlw (dpa, AFP, Reuters)

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