Number of violent crimes rises in 2010

Prague. Jan 26 (CTK) - The number of violent crimes rose by 7 percent in the Czech Republic in 2010 against the preceding year, and the number of moral offences has increased as well, Jan Noga, head of the office for the criminal police and investigation, told reporters yesterday.

On the other hand, property crime declined last year, he said.

The police uncovered about 313,390 crimes in 2010, which is 19,940 less than in 2009.

According to Noga, the crime rate is the lowest in the past ten years.

The crime rate has declined most sharply in Prague, he said.

"The development has been basically favourable," Noga said.

Although a rise in violent crime was registered last year, the number of registered murders dropped to 165 from 173 in 2009.

Noga said the number of violent crimes increased also because new types of crime, such as killing, negligent killing, and stalking, were introduced.

He said he considers alarming the rising number of brutal murders of elderly people and parents, committed by juvenile or very young perpetrators.

The number of women raped in 2010 increased by 22 percent in comparison with the preceding year.

Seventy percent of victims were girls under 18, Noga pointed out.

The crime clear-up rate dropped in 2010 by 0.8 percent against 2009.