Robberies go up, frauds slide in Jan to June

A total of 800 incidents of robberies were recorded in the country from January to June this year, which was 3.5 per cent higher than in January to June 2016, according to Statistics Finland.

Out of the total robberies, 150 were aggravated.

A total of 1,600 embezzlements and aggravated embezzlements were reported, which is 10 per cent more than in January to June 2016.

A total of 58,000 theft offences (theft, aggravated theft, petty theft) were reported, which is 3,500 cases (5.7 per cent) fewer than in January to June 2016.

The number of aggravated thefts recorded was 1,400, which is down by 8.3 per cent from the year before.

The number of break-ins into houses recorded was 2,400, which is 150 cases (5.9 per cent) lower than during the first two quarters of 2016. Altogether, 22,000 thefts and petty thefts from shops were recorded, which is 380 cases fewer than in January to June 2016.

The recorded number of unauthorised uses and thefts of a motor vehicle was 2,650, which is 9.8 per cent lower than in the first half of 2016. From the early 2000s, the number of these offences has fallen by around one-fifth.

A total of 11,300 frauds (fraud, petty fraud, aggravated fraud) were recorded in the country from January to June this year, which was 10.8 per cent lower compared to the stipulated period in 2016.

The number of aggravated means of payment frauds was 106. Of all means of payment frauds, 910 (28 per cent) were carried out abroad. Compared with previous years, particularly many means of payment frauds were recorded between August 2015 and August 2016.

The reform of fine legislation on 1 December 2016 affects the updating of statistics on criminal offences especially in terms of traffic offences. Fines from automatic traffic control are updated into the system with a delay of around 60 days.