Which crimes are on the rise in Switzerland?
Switzerland has a low crime rate and is deemed safer than many other European countries. But the latest statistics show that some serious offences rose last year.
New police data published on Monday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) shows that in 2023, thefts reported in Switzerland hit a record-high number, and homicides have increased as well.
Let's look at these numbers.
Murders
Overall, 2,057 serious violent offences (5.9 percent more compared to 2022) were reported in Switzerland in 2023.
Among them were 53 homicides — nine more than during the previous year — and higher than the 48 that has been the average figure since 2009.
Burglaries, thefts and online crimes
Police registered 41,429 break-ins in 2023 — 15.9 percent more than the year prior.
And while 98 burglaries were reported per day (on average) in 2022, that number went up to 114 in 2023.
READ ALSO: Which parts of Switzerland have the highest (and lowest) violent crime rates?
The number of other thefts also increased.
The number of stolen vehicles (54,5179), for instance, was 17.5 percent higher than in 2022.
However, the theft of valuables from vehicles has exploded: 18,192 reports (a 71 percent increase) — the highest figure ever.
The number of online crimes had also gone up in 2023
Some 29,314 such cases were reported to the police — a jump of 31.5 percent.
Most involved economic cybercrime, up 36.5 percent; ‘phishing (70 percent), and card or identity theft (66 percent).
READ ALSO: How to avoid the most common online scams in Switzerland
Which crime rates have dropped or remained stable?
The number of recorded drug-related offences had decreased by 1.5 percent.
Compared to 2022, the number of recorded cases of sexual assault also fell — by (3.2 percent).
The number of domestic violence reports (19,918), however, remained at the same level as over the last four years, FSO found.
This figure includes not only actual acts of violence, but also threats and insults.
READ ALSO: Switzerland to stop foreign domestic violence victims losing residence permits
Does this hike in certain crimes mean Switzerland is less safe now?
No.
Overall, Switzerland’s crime rate is still low in comparison to many other nations.
In fact, Switzerland ranks among Top-10 safest countries in the world, according to this index.
And the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), also found that “in Switzerland, 86 percent of people say they feel safe walking alone at night, more than the OECD average of 74 percent".
Further, “the homicide rate (the number of murders per 100,000 inhabitants) is a more reliable measure of a country's safety level because, unlike other crimes, murders are usually always reported to the police".
According to the latest OECD data, Switzerland's homicide rate is 0.3, which is much lower than the OECD average of 2.6, and one of the lowest in the OECD.
READ ALSO : How safe is Switzerland compared to the rest of Europe?
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New police data published on Monday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) shows that in 2023, thefts reported in Switzerland hit a record-high number, and homicides have increased as well.
Let's look at these numbers.
Murders
Overall, 2,057 serious violent offences (5.9 percent more compared to 2022) were reported in Switzerland in 2023.
Among them were 53 homicides — nine more than during the previous year — and higher than the 48 that has been the average figure since 2009.
Burglaries, thefts and online crimes
Police registered 41,429 break-ins in 2023 — 15.9 percent more than the year prior.
And while 98 burglaries were reported per day (on average) in 2022, that number went up to 114 in 2023.
READ ALSO: Which parts of Switzerland have the highest (and lowest) violent crime rates?
The number of other thefts also increased.
The number of stolen vehicles (54,5179), for instance, was 17.5 percent higher than in 2022.
However, the theft of valuables from vehicles has exploded: 18,192 reports (a 71 percent increase) — the highest figure ever.
The number of online crimes had also gone up in 2023
Some 29,314 such cases were reported to the police — a jump of 31.5 percent.
Most involved economic cybercrime, up 36.5 percent; ‘phishing (70 percent), and card or identity theft (66 percent).
READ ALSO: How to avoid the most common online scams in Switzerland
Which crime rates have dropped or remained stable?
The number of recorded drug-related offences had decreased by 1.5 percent.
Compared to 2022, the number of recorded cases of sexual assault also fell — by (3.2 percent).
The number of domestic violence reports (19,918), however, remained at the same level as over the last four years, FSO found.
This figure includes not only actual acts of violence, but also threats and insults.
READ ALSO: Switzerland to stop foreign domestic violence victims losing residence permits
Does this hike in certain crimes mean Switzerland is less safe now?
No.
Overall, Switzerland’s crime rate is still low in comparison to many other nations.
In fact, Switzerland ranks among Top-10 safest countries in the world, according to this index.
And the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), also found that “in Switzerland, 86 percent of people say they feel safe walking alone at night, more than the OECD average of 74 percent".
Further, “the homicide rate (the number of murders per 100,000 inhabitants) is a more reliable measure of a country's safety level because, unlike other crimes, murders are usually always reported to the police".
According to the latest OECD data, Switzerland's homicide rate is 0.3, which is much lower than the OECD average of 2.6, and one of the lowest in the OECD.
READ ALSO : How safe is Switzerland compared to the rest of Europe?
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