Sharp rise in crime this year
There has been a significant rise in the number of robberies and burglaries during the first six months of this year compared to 2007, according to figures made public yesterday by the police. The number of robberies went up from 1,230 to 1,764 over the first six months of the year. Break-ins at homes and businesses went up by 22 percent to just over 33,500. Although there was no increase in the number of bank raids (they stayed constant at 141), all other categories of robbery have gone up. Supermarkets and gas stations have become increasingly popular targets this year. The number of gas stations raided has more than doubled, while supermarkets have also been targeted almost twice as frequently. There has additionally been a spike in street crime, particularly muggings. In the first half of the previous year 222 mobile phones or wallets were snatched, compared to 402 in the same six-month period this year. The number of bags snatched around Greece also went up from 93 to 116. The sharp rise in break-ins saw around 2,500 more homes and 3,500 more vehicles targeted by thieves. Police sources acknowledged that the figures represent a worrying rise in crime this year, while noting that the first three months of 2008 saw an unprecedented skyrocketing of criminal activity, particularly in Attica. Officers believe that this was largely due to a higher number of gangs, which have since been smashed, operating in the area. Sources said that the arrests will by the end of the year bring crime figures to roughly the same levels as 2007. Less visible crimes such as forgery and fraud have also increased in the first half of the year. Some 3,800 cases of forgery were reported, while almost 600 cases of fraud were also recorded by police.
