Eurostat: Cyprus crime rate up in 2007-2010

Recorded case of crime in the years 2007-2010 increased in 12 EU member states, including Cyprus, according to Eurostat.

However the latest collection of data suggested a tendency towards a decrease in the levels of recorded crime. Crimes linked to drug trafficking, robbery and violent crimes decreased between the 3 and 6%, while the number of motor vehicle thefts has fallen substantially faster over the same period (-23%).

In contrast, domestic burglary is a category with a rising trend in the EU. Compared to 2007, 7% more cases of domestic burglary were reported in 2010.

The data for Cyprus show that in 2009 the cases that were reported to the police were 7,104 while in 2010 they rose to 8,387. Robbery cases that were reported in the whole of the EU has dropped by 5% since 2007. The countries that reported the greatest decreases were Italy, Poland, England and Wales. In Baltic countries these cases recorded a decrease of 29%.

In Cyprus, Denmark and Greece the number of robbery cases has doubled between 2007 and 2010.

As regards motor vehicle thefts, there was an increase of 20% in Cyprus and Greece, while in Romania the increase was 39%.

Beyond the EU, cases of crime recorded by the police in Turkey increased by 57% between 2007-2010. The number of crimes linked to drug trafficking in Turkey more than tripled between 2007-2010.