Crime keeps falling in Switzerland

Burglaries, representing more than two-thirds of all criminal offences in Switzerland, were down 6% over the previous year. Keystone

Crime fell by 6.1% last year, with a marked decrease in the number of burglaries and crimes committed by non-residents.

Some 429,000 crimes were reported in Switzerland last year, a drop of 170,000 compared to 2012, according to a report by the Federal Statistical Office.

The number of crimes committed in the Alpine nation has been declining over the last five years, they said.

+ Read about last year’s Swiss crime statistics

Fewer burglaries

Burglaries, representing more than two-thirds of all criminal offences in Switzerland, were down 6% over the previous year.

Theft not including stolen cars dropped by 15% and fraud by 16%.

More police threats, cybercrime

Despite the overall downward trend, there were more criminal offences of violence and threats against police last year, with 3,000 such offences registered by authorities in 2017. But the increase could be related a more restrictive cantonal policing policy, according to the Conference of Cantonal Police Directors.External link

Cybercrime increased as well, with 9% more cases of unauthorised data collection and 4% more cases of fraudulent misuse of an IT system having been reported.

Crimes by non-residents also fall

The report also found that the number of crimes committed by foreigners without a residence permit in Switzerland fell by roughly 5%. A large majority of crimes, 79%, were committed by people with permanent residency, including both Swiss and foreign nationals.

In a statementExternal link, the Conference of Cantonal Police Directors described the report’s findings as “extremely positive”. It added that such a reduction in crime was particularly remarkable “in light of the demanding and increasingly complex security situation” that Switzerland faces.