Crime in NRW Declines Slightly in 2024, But Violence and Cybercrime Rise
The latest police statistics reveal a mixed picture, with reductions in theft and drug offenses but increases in violent crimes, cybercrime, and knife-related incidents.
- The total number of recorded crimes in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) fell by 1% in 2024, marking a stabilization after post-pandemic increases, with nearly 1.4 million cases logged.
- While theft-related crimes, such as shoplifting and general theft, saw declines, violent crimes, including knife-related offenses, rose by over 20%, and cybercrime increased by 7.8%.
- Murder and attempted murder cases rose sharply by nearly 16%, with 180 cases reported compared to 154 the previous year, though overall violence crimes decreased slightly by 0.4%.
- The cannabis legalization contributed to a 34% drop in drug-related offenses, highlighting the policy's impact on crime statistics.
- The police achieved a 53.5% case clearance rate, the second-highest since 1962, while the number of identified suspects dropped by 2.1%, with declines across all age groups except for increases in violent offenses involving children and teens.
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