CRIME: Cyprus has one of the lowest rates for robberies in the EU

Cyprus had one of the lowest rates of police-recorded robberies in the EU during a seven-year period between 2011-2017.

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Between 2011 and 2017, police-recorded robberies in the EU fell by 24%, from 522,000 to 396,000. By contrast, there was a 4% increase between 2008 and 2011.

In 2017, the highest number of offences per 100,000 inhabitants were observed in Belgium (167), France (150), Spain (144), England and Wales (132) and Portugal (115).

While at the lowest end of the scale were Romania (16), Estonia and Czechia (both 15), Cyprus (14), Slovenia (12), Slovakia and Hungary (both 9).

This highlights the fact that national crime trends can be rather different from the EU trend. Between 2011 and 2012, there was little change in robberies at EU level.

However, at the same time some countries experienced a total increase of about 18,000 robberies, of which France, Italy, and Spain together had over 16,000.

Other countries together had a decrease of about 18,000, of which England and Wales (UK), Portugal, Belgium, and Poland together had over 14 000.

Also, between 2016 and 2017, the overall change was relatively small (4,000) compared to the total increases (18,000) and decreases (22,000).

Robbery means stealing from someone by using physical force, weapon or threat, such as mugging or robbery (e.g. bank, shop or van).

Robbery is different from: theft (without force) and assault (without stealing).