The Police published its cumulative statistics for 2014, which indicate that crime rates are showing a significant improvement compared to the previous year.
Specifically, homicides were down by 25.5%, robberies down by 22.7%, thefts and break-ins down by 7.8%m, while vehicle thefts were down by 13.2%. Serious thefts, such as bank robberies, were also reduced by 37%, with most crimes involving theft dropping. Cases of sexual exploitation were down by 43% and rapes were down by 10%.
The police reported that intellectual property violations dropped by 24.6%, while firearm-relate cases dropped by 23.2%. The police noted that in 2014 it handled 555 more cases involving narcotics, 412 additional cases of forgery, 336 additional cases of counterfeit currency and 132 more cases of smuggling.
In total, 170,824 people were arrested, of whom 11,090 were arrested for bank and store robberies and thefts. The police busted 419 gangs and investigated 31,475 cases of common and organized crime.
Here was also a significant reduction in deaths caused by roach accidents, with 60 fewer deaths and 52 fewer lethal traffic collisions in 2014 compared to 2013. There were 77,163 arrests for illegal immigration, while there was a 6% increase of non-legal migrants returning to their country of origin.
The police conducted 658 store and business inspections, which resulted in 240 case files being composed for a variety of tax-related crimes. Additionally, a total of 5,198 demonstrations, rallies and public gatherings took place in 2014 and 6,000 sporting events which necessitated police presence.
The Minister of Public Order Vasilis Kikilias praised the police for taking steps to improve the sense of security and for becoming a more efficient police force.
