By Dora Antoniou - Kathimerini

A reversal in the recent decline in some kinds of criminal activity is worrying the heads of the Public Order Ministry and the Greek Police. According to ministry statistics, last year, for the first time in three years, two crime indicators were on the rise — robberies (1,735 in 2001 compared to 1,581 in 2000) and vehicle thefts (19,026 last year and 18,941 in 2000).

According to sources, the worst problem is in Attica where these particular crimes skyrocketed, a trend that is continuing this year. The same sources say that in the first four months of the year, some categories of crime rose as much as, or more than, 10 percent.

Robberies, break-ins and thefts are the types of crime that affect people’s daily lives more directly, pose the greatest threat to their lives and property as well as shaking their sense of security.

As it is precisely this feeling of security that the ministry most wants to achieve, the increase in crime has mobilized police leadership into action.

A series of measures for Attica, to be announced today, are designed to be put into force immediately to reverse this trend before it gets out of hand and cancels out any progress that has been made.

One measure is the establishment of immediate response groups, with patrol cars manned by officers, either in uniform or plain clothes, circulating continually in areas with a high crime rate, both as a deterrent and as a way of responding swiftly to crimes.

Based on figures for areas with the highest crime rates, schedules for foot patrols are being reviewed in order to achieve a better distribution of forces. The introduction of foot patrols has been one of the more successful attempts at fighting common crime, chiefly as a deterrent.

In the original plan, emphasis had been on the areas with higher crime rates, but as these have now changed, a redistribution of forces is called for.

As for the reduction in road accidents, setting specific targets has proved particularly successful and, therefore, the same method is to be used in dealing with common crime. The goals are a 4-percent reduction in thefts and break-ins, a 10-percent reduction in robberies and 5-percent fewer vehicle thefts. As most of these types of crimes are committed in Attica, this is where most efforts will be concentrated.

Apart from prevention, emphasis will also be put on pursuing gangs of criminals that repeatedly commit thefts, break-ins or robberies. Such a crackdown will utilize the police’s modern technology, particularly that of the Criminal Investigation Department, which is now holding a series of briefings for officers.