Prague, Jan 19 (CTK) – The number of crimes dropped by 14.2 percent year-on-year to 247,628 in the Czech Republic in 2015, a second decrease in a row, and the police solved slightly more than a half of crimes, or 126,083, which was an increase of almost 2 percent over 2014, police representatives said yesterday.
They said the police seized property, money and yields from criminal activity worth 6.2 billion crowns last year.
Michal Mazanek, director of the Criminal Police Service and Investigation Office, said the crime decrease is due to economic growth, decreasing unemployment and improving living standards.
He said people also better secure their real estate.
“In addition, a new generation of perpetrators who focus more on cyber space is growing up,” Mazanek said.
The police investigated property offences most often. The total of more than 139,000 was 35,000 lower than in 2014. The number of thefts and robberies also dropped last year.
The total of 30,616 economic crimes and 15,669 violent crimes was also slightly lower than in 2014.
A total of 155 murders were committed in the country with a population of 10.5 million last year, five fewer than in 2014, and the lowest number since 2000, when 279 murders were committed.
Twenty of last year´s murders have not yet been solved.
Mazanek said murders motivated by personal relations or in brawls under the influence of alcohol or drugs predominated last year like in the previous years.
The police prosecuted almost 102,000 people last year, which was about 12,600 fewer than in 2014. More than a half of the prosecuted people were repeat offenders who mainly focus on property crime.
Deputy Police President Zdenek Laube said the police want to concentrate on cyber crime this year.
They plan to complete the building of a special unit of the Squad for Uncovering Organised Crime (UOOZ).
The police also want to pay increased attention to dealing with serious economic crime, drug crime, illegal gambling and crime against seniors.
They will also focus on controls of storing and processing dangerous wastes and the struggle against migrant smugglers.
($1=24.821 crowns)
