Rape, abuse drop as fraud, robbery rise in H1

Although the number of various crimes including rape, sexual abuse and different offences reduced in the country in January to June this year, that of frauds and robbery increased compared to that in the corresponding period of the previous year.

A total of 402,400 offences were recorded by the police, customs and border guard in the first half of 2018, which is 25,300 cases (5.9 per cent) fewer than in the same period of 2017, according to Statistics Finland.

The number of recorded offences against the Penal Code was 206,900 or 1.7 per cent lower. The recorded number of crimes against life and health was 16,800, which is 4.3 per cent lower than in January to June 2017.

In all, 4.8 per cent fewer rapes and 28.1 per cent fewer cases of sexual harassment were reported than in the first half of last year.

A majority of the reported offences were recorded by the police. In January to June 2018, a total of 395,200 offences were recorded by the police, posting a 6.1 per cent decline year-on-year.

The drop is mainly caused by a change in the number of traffic infractions. In January to June 2018, a total of 4,500 offences were recorded by the customs and 2,700 by the border guard. Compared with January to June 2017, the offences recorded by the customs increased by 7.2 per cent and those recoded by the border guard by 2.7 per cent.

The number of assault offences recorded was 15,800 during the first half of 2018, marking a 4.6 per cent (760 cases) decrease year-on-year. A total of 791 aggravated assaults were recorded same as in the first half of 2017. The recorded number of offences against life was 35 or one case less than that one year earlier.

In all, 599 rapes were recorded, which are 30 cases (4.8 per cent) fewer than in January to June 2017. The recorded number of sexual abuses of children was 691, which is 19.3 per cent more than in January to June of the previous year. In addition, 483 other sexual offences were reported, of which 237 were cases of sexual harassment. Compared with January to June 2017, the cases of sexual harassment increased by 52 cases (28.1 per cent). The recorded numbers of rapes and sexual abuses of children reported to the authorities vary much yearly. Individual reports of an offence may include a series of incidents comprising several criminal acts.

During January to June 2018, a total of 93,800 offences against property were recorded, which is 6.3 per cent (6,400) less than that in the corresponding period of the previous year.

In January to June 2018, a total of 11,500 frauds (fraud, petty fraud, aggravated fraud; Penal Code, Section 36, Paragraphs 1 to 3) were recorded, which are 1.3 per cent more than in the year before. A total of 867 aggravated frauds were recorded, which are 24.2 per cent more than one year earlier.

The number of robberies recorded was 813, which is 5.7 per cent more than in January to June 2017. Of the robberies, 134 were aggravated. A total of 1,540 embezzlements and aggravated embezzlements were reported, which are as many as in January to June 2017.

A total of 54,800 theft offences (theft, aggravated theft, petty theft) were reported, which is 4,000 cases (6.8 per cent) fewer than in January to June 2017. The number of aggravated thefts recorded was 1,300 in January to June 2018, which is down by 7.3 per cent from the year before. The number of break-ins into houses recorded was 2,200, posting an 8.5 per cent (200 cases) decline year-on-year. Altogether, 21,400 thefts and petty thefts from shops were recorded, which are 800 cases fewer than in the corresponding period of the previous year. Compared with 2009, the number of thefts and petty thefts from shops has fallen by about 15 per cent.

The recorded number of unauthorised uses and thefts of motor vehicles and stealing of motor vehicles for temporary use was 2,500, which is 7.6 per cent lower than that in January to June 2017. From the early 2000s, the number of these offences has fallen to under one half.

During January to June 2018, damages to property numbered 14,400, which are 1,700 cases (10.5 per cent) less year-on-year. Altogether, 106 aggravated damages to property were reported. The number of damages to property has primarily been falling since 2009, when 24,700 such cases were recorded.