Brief information on crime trends in North Rhine-Westphalia
(Excerpt from the 2016 PKS yearbook)
The number of total offenses fell by 3.2% to 1,469,426 cases in the reporting year. That is 48,022 fewer cases than in the previous year. This is the lowest level in the last five years.
461 crimes against life: The number of crimes thus rose by 39 cases for the first time in three years (+9.2%). (Highest level in 1995: 755 cases).
The number of cases of violent crime rose by 5.1% (2,345 cases).
At 21.7% (107,238 TVs), the proportion of suspects under the age of 21 has risen by 0.7 percentage points compared to the previous year.
With 52,578 cases, dwelling burglary recorded a decrease of 9,784 cases in 2016 (-15.7%). This is the lowest level in the last five years.
Decrease in street crime: At 378,187 cases, this is the lowest level since the peak in 1992 (574,482 cases).
Decline in shoplifting: With a drop of 3.7% compared to 2015, the figure fell below the 100,000 mark again.
The number of cases of theft from motor vehicles fell by 8.5% (-701 cases) compared to the previous year.
The theft of bicycles decreased by 3,181 cases or 3.8% to 80,689 cases compared to the previous year.
Increases were recorded for these offenses, among others:
- Computer crime (+6,063 cases or +36.4%)
- Rape and sexual assault (+462 cases or +24.9%)
- Crimes against life (+39 cases or +9.2%)
- Dangerous and grievous bodily harm on streets, roads or squares (+1,189 cases or +7.7%)
- Drug offenses (+4,232 cases or +7.3%)
- Rough conduct and offenses against personal freedom (+11,429 cases or +6.3%)
Decreases were recorded for the following offenses, among others:
- Residential burglary (-9,784 cases or -15.7%)
- Robbery (-266 cases or -9.6%)
- Commercial credit fraud (-7,841 cases or -9.5%)
- Theft of and from motor vehicles (-9,038 cases or -8.6%)
- Fraud (-20,632 cases or -8.3%)
- Total theft (-55,794 cases or -8.1%)
- Pickpocketing (-3,711 cases or -6.8%)
- Street crime (-12,195 cases or -3.1%)
Crimes against life
The number of crimes against life increased by 39 cases or 9.2% (2015: 422 cases, including 243 attempts; 2016: 461 cases, including 268 attempts). The number of murders rose by nine or 8.7% from 104 cases (2015, attempts: 60) to 113 cases (2016, attempts: 63). The number of manslaughter offenses rose by 28 or 12.1% to 259 cases (2015: 231), while the number of negligent homicides (excluding traffic offenses) fell from 71 cases in 2015 to 65 (-8.5%).
All 144 passengers and six crew members died in the crash of a Germanwings aircraft, flight no. 4U 9525, on March 24, 2015. The investigation, which was concluded in 2016, revealed that the co-pilot deliberately caused the crash. As Cologne/Bonn Airport is the home airport of the airline Germanwings, the homicide and the 149 victims must be shown in the PKS NRW.
Crimes against sexual self-determination
In 2016, 10,376 sexual offenses were reported, 531 cases or 5.4% more than in the previous year (9,845). The number of known rapes and particularly serious sexual assaults increased by 462 to
2,320 cases or by 24.9% (2015: 1,858). The number of cases of sexual abuse of children rose by 87 cases or 3.9% (2015: 2,247; 2016: 2,334). The number of cases involving the distribution of pornographic products fell from 2,110 to 1,660 (-21.3%).
Crude offenses and offenses against personal freedom
Crude offenses increased by 11,429 cases in 2016 compared to the previous year (2015: 181,984; 2016: 193,413). The number of robbery offenses fell by 967 cases or 7.1% (2015: 13,614; 2016: 12,647), which is the lowest figure since 2001 (12,935 cases). The number of cases of dangerous and grievous bodily harm rose by 2,808 or 9.2% from 30,521 (2015) to 33,329 cases, while the number of cases of simple bodily harm with intent rose by 7,193 or 8.5% to 91,712 (2015: 84,519). Eleven cases of kidnapping for extortion (2015: ten) and three hostage-takings (2015: four) were recorded in 2016.
Violent crime
The trend in robbery offenses continues to decline (-7.1%), although violent crime increased by 5.1% or 2,345 cases compared to the previous year to 48,696 cases (2015: 46,351).
For the fifth time in a row since 2003, there were fewer than 50,000 cases of violent crime (peak in 2007: 53,420).
Thefts
For many types of theft, the number of cases fell in 2016. A total of 636,007 thefts were recorded for NRW in 2016. This corresponds to 43.3% of total crime (2015: 691,801 cases or 45.6%). Compared to 2015, theft crime fell by 55,794 cases or 8.1%. There was a decrease in the number of thefts under aggravating circumstances in particular, which fell by 27,636 cases or 8.6% to 294,971 cases.
The number of domestic burglaries fell from 62,362 cases (2015) to 52,578, which represents a decrease of 9,784 cases or 15.7%. The proportion of attempts was 45.6% (2015: 43.7%). 24,304 cases of residential burglary were daytime burglaries (committed between 06:00 and 21:00). This is a decrease of 12.9% (2015: 27,896 cases). The proportion of attempts was 39.7% (2014: 37.7%).
The number of cases of pickpocketing fell in 2016 to 50,893 recorded cases (-6.8%).
The number of cases in which non-cash means of payment were recorded as stolen property fell by 8,416 cases to 54,319 compared to the previous year (62,735).
The number of thefts from motor vehicles fell by 701 cases or 12.0% to 7,518 cases in the reporting year (2015: 8,219).
The number of shopliftings fell by 3,732 or 3.7% to 96,753 cases (2015: 100,485). Between 1991 and 2006, the number of cases varied between 152,751 (1997) and 103,265 (2006). From 2007 to 2014, the number of shoplifting cases remained constantly below 100,000 cases per year. In the reporting period, the number fell below this level again after an increase in 2015.
Bicycle theft fell by 3,181 cases or 3.8% to 80,689 offenses. The highest number was recorded in 1992 with 134,615 cases.
Property and counterfeiting offenses
In the reporting year, 275,889 cases were recorded. This is 17,859 or 6.1% fewer cases than in 2015 (293,748). This is due in particular to a decline in fraud, the number of which fell by 20,632 or 8.3% from 247,351 cases in 2015 to 226,719 cases.
Taking into account the need for information and evaluation, the recording rules in the area of fraud were adjusted for the reporting period. The crime key figures for recording fraud by means of unlawfully obtained debit cards and fraud by means of unlawfully obtained credit cards are combined into one recording key each for "computer fraud by means of unlawfully obtained payment cards with PIN" and "fraud by means of unlawfully obtained payment cards without PIN".
In the reporting year, 15,555 cases (2015: 14,944 cases) of fraud or computer fraud using illegally obtained non-cash means of payment were recorded. This is an increase of 611 cases or 4.1%. This included 3,842 cases (2015: 2,732 cases) of fraud using illegally obtained payment cards without a PIN and 3,827 cases (2015: 4,440 cases) of computer fraud using illegally obtained payment cards with a PIN. This represents a decrease of 613 cases or 13.8% for computer fraud using illegally obtained payment cards with a PIN and an increase of 1,110 cases or 40.6% for fraud using illegally obtained payment cards without a PIN. Due to the changes in the offense codes, there is no direct comparison with the previous year.
The downward trend in the number of computer fraud cases continued in the reporting year. Following the decline in the number of cases in 2011 (-1,129 cases; -15.2%), 2012 (-190 cases; -3.0%), 2014 (-748 cases;
-11.0%) and 2015 (-737 or -12.2%), the number of known cases fell again by 1,509 or 28.5% to 3,780.
A change in the nationwide guidelines of the PKS for recording offenses committed via the internet must be taken into account here. Offenses whose crime scene is not clearly located in Germany will be recorded separately with the introduction of the recording of foreign crimes nationwide from 2018.
The number of goods and commercial credit frauds fell by 7,841 cases or 9.5% to 75,150 cases in 2016. Both merchandise fraud fell to a total of 26,914 cases (-1,555 cases or -5.5%) and other commercial credit fraud to 47,817 cases (-6,358 cases or -11.7%).
The number of counterfeit currency and stamps rose from 976 to 1,062 cases (+86 or +8.8%).
Other criminal offenses
The number of other criminal offenses under the German Criminal Code rose from 238,581 cases (2015) to 251,625 cases. This is an increase of 13,044 cases or 5.5%.
Environmental offenses (Sections 324, 324a, 325 - 330a StGB) increased by 56 cases (+4.1%) from 1,371 (2015) to 1,427 cases.
Graffiti cases have been recorded separately since 2008, and the number of reported cases fell steadily until 2015. While a decrease of 17,360 cases (2014) to 16,514 cases (2015) or 4.9% was recorded in 2015, the number rose to 18,660 cases in the reporting period. That is 2,146 cases more or 13.0%. This corresponds to 13.7% of the total of 136,011 recorded cases of damage to property (2015: 131,753 cases or 12.6%).
The number of cases of insults on a sexual basis rose again from 8,236 cases to 10,420 (+2,184 cases or +26.5%). Of these, 757 cases had the special identifier "Internet offense" (2015: 749).
Criminal offenses against ancillary criminal laws
The number of offenses against the Narcotics Act rose to 62,091 cases in 2016. There were 4,232 more cases recorded than in the previous year (2015: 57,859 cases). This is an increase of 7.3%. Offenses against the Narcotics Act are predominantly control offenses. Increases and decreases are related to the intensity of the checks.
The number of offences against the Residence, Asylum Procedure and Freedom of Movement Act/EU fell by 4,883 or 17.6% to 22,867 cases (2015: 27,750 cases; +61.2%). The main reason for the decrease is the decline in immigration from the crisis region of Syria.
The number of all offenses against ancillary criminal laws increased by 588 (+0.6%) to 101,655 cases (2015: 101,067). This is mainly due to the increase in offenses against the Residence Act.
Street crime
Overall, street crime fell by 12,195 cases compared to the previous year to 378,187 (-3.1%).
This continues the downward trend of recent years (2014: 393,279; 2015: 390,382).
The peak of 574,482 cases of street crime was reached in 1992. From 2002 onwards, the number of street crime cases fell and has remained below 400,000 ever since.
Internet as a means of crime
After the inconsistent development in previous years, declines in 2010 and 2011 and an increase in 2012 and 2013, the number of cases with the special identifier "Internet as a means of crime" fell again in 2014 and 2015 as well as in the reporting year. A total of 57,241 cases were recorded (2015: 58,829), which represents a decrease of 2.7%.
A change in the standardized federal guidelines of the PKS for the recording of crimes committed via the internet must be taken into account. Offenses whose location is not clearly in Germany will be recorded separately with the introduction of the recording of foreign offenses nationwide from 2018.
Suspects
In 2016, 494,885 suspects were identified, 2,640 or 0.5% more than in 2015 (492,245). 374,680 of the suspects were male (75.7%). Their number increased by 5,205 or 1.4% compared to the previous year.
The number of female suspects fell by 2.1% to 120,205 (24.3%). Overall, their number is still below the 2011 peak of 124,686 female suspects.
317,106 suspects had German nationality (2015: 325,485), which is 8,379 or 2.6% fewer than in the previous year.
177,779 suspects were non-Germans. Their number increased by 11,019 or 6.6% compared to 2015 (166,760). The proportion of non-Germans in the total number of suspects was 35.9%; their share of the population was 11.8% (2015: 10.5%).
The number of suspects under 21 years of age increased by 741 or 0.7% compared to 2015 and the number of suspects over 21 years of age by 1,899 or 0.5%. The proportion of all suspects under the age of 21 was 21.7% (2015: 21.6%). The number of suspects under the age of 21 rose again in 2015 for the first time since 2001. This trend continued in the reporting year. At 21.7% of all suspects identified, it is at its second lowest level for over 40 years.
The total number of suspected children increased by 1,027 to 14,916 compared to the previous year (2015: 13,889). The number of suspected children aged eight and over, which is important for determining the number of suspects (TVBZ), also rose by 342 to 13,293 (2015: 12,951).
In a ten-year comparison, the TVBZ for children is the second lowest at 1,361 in the reporting year. After a downward trend since 2010, the TVBZ for young people increased for the first time in 2015. This increase continued in the reporting year. The number of suspected adolescents and adults is subject to slight fluctuations in a ten-year comparison; compared to the previous year, the TVBZ for adolescents fell to 7,772. There was also a decrease in the TVBZ for adults (2015: 2,726) at 2,712.
The lowest level for adults was recorded in 2007 with a TVBZ of 2,425, and for adolescents in 2013 with 7,633.
Victim/victim-suspect relationship
246,799 people were victims of a crime against life, a crime against sexual self-determination, a violent crime or a crime against personal freedom in 2016. This represents an increase of 19,257 victims or 8.5% compared to the previous year. The number of victims at risk (OGZ) rose to 1,381 (2015: 1,290). 23.0% (2015: 23.8%) of victims were under 21 years old, 71.3% (2015: 71.1%) between 21 and under 60 years old and 5.7% (2015: 6.0%) over 60 years old.
Information on victims and their relationship to the suspects is only recorded in the PKS for certain crimes (groups). In 2016, 53.9% (2015: 48.3%) of victims had a previous relationship with the suspects. In 36.8% (2015: 36.1%) of victims, the suspects came from their social circle (relatives/close friends/acquaintances)
Since 2008, data has also been available on the spatial and/or social relationship between the victims and suspects (spatial-social proximity). 29,849 or 12.9% of all recorded victims (2015: 26,828 victims or 11.8%) lived in the same household as the suspects in 2016. 2,310 victims (1.0%) were in a parenting or caregiving relationship with the suspects without a shared household (2015: 2,165 or 1.0%). 1,020 people (2015: 933) fell victim to a crime in the healthcare sector (e.g. hospital, sanatorium/nursing home, home care).
5,843 victims (2015: 5,842) were helpless persons due to the influence of alcohol/drugs/medication, disability, frailty or homelessness. Of the victims, 2,229 were helpless due to the influence of alcohol, which represents a 38.1% share.
For more information, please see the documents on the right