Steep dive in crime this summer
The increased security in force from early July and the ongoing operational readiness of the security forces had a beneficial effect on the amount of domestic crime. In contrast to recent Olympiads, where burglars, thieves, counterfeiters and drug pushers had a field day, criminals did not have an easy time of it in Athens. According to data from the Public Order Ministry, the total number of thefts around the country dropped in July by 26.8 percent, compared to the same month in 2003 (4,089 in 2003 to 2,993 this July). In August, the figure dropped 18.24 percent (from 3,537 to 2,892). Robberies were down by 20.95 percent from 148 to 117, and by just 3 percent in August (130 to 126). Drug-related crimes decreased by 28.22 percent from 989 to 711 and by 45 percent from 999 to 547. In Attica, thefts were down by 29.67 percent in July (from 3,118 to 2,193) and by 19.07 percent in August (from 2,596 to 2,101). The same applied to robberies, down by 17.97 in July from 128 to 105, but by only 4.46 percent in August (112 to 107). The greatest reduction was in drug crimes in Attica, which were down by 55.62 percent (338 to 150) in July and by 81.65 percent in August. Counterfeiters also had a harder time of it, with 13.97 percent fewer cases discovered in July and 22.33 percent in August.
