Robberies, thefts, offences against property go up in Q1

The number of robberies recorded in the country from January to March was 513, which is 46.2 per cent up from January to March 2019, according to Statistics Finland.

Out of the robberies, 123 were aggravated.

A total of 29,100 theft offences were reported in the early part of 2020, which is 6,200 cases (27.1 per cent) more than the stipulated period in 2019.

The number of aggravated thefts recorded was 700, which is up by nearly 23 per cent from the year before.

The recorded number of break-ins into houses and free-time residences was 1,050, which is 33.3 per cent more than in 2019.

Altogether, 12,300 thefts and petty thefts from shops were recorded, which is 18.2 per cent more than in the year before.

In early 2020, the recorded number of unauthorised uses and thefts of a motor vehicle and thefts of a motor vehicle for temporary use was 1,100, which is 20.1 per cent more than in the year before. From the start of the 2000s, the number of these offences has fallen to under one half.

The recorded number of damages to property was 6,900, which is 1,400 cases more than in the previous year. Altogether, 67 aggravated damages to property were reported. The number of damages to property has primarily been falling since 2009, when 10,400 of them were recorded in the early part of the year.

In January to March 2020, a total of 51,500 offences against property were recorded, which is 8,600 (20 per cent) more than in the previous year. More offences against property were last recorded in the statistics in the early part of the year in 2014.

A total of 7,800 frauds (fraud, petty fraud, aggravated fraud; Criminal Code, Section 36, Paragraphs 1 to 3) were recorded, which is unchanged from the year before.

The number of frauds appears to be growing after a few years of decline. A total of 489 aggravated frauds were recorded, which is 29 cases fewer than one year earlier.

During January to March 2020, means of payment frauds numbered 1,800, which is 450 cases (32.4 per cent) more than in the previous year. The number of aggravated means of payment frauds was 44.

According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, a total of 110,700 offences against the Criminal Code were recorded by the police, customs and border guard during January to March 2020, which is 13,400 cases (13.7 per cent) more than in the corresponding period in 2019.