Czech Republic crime rate down by 5% in 2018

For the fifth consecutive year, the crime rate in the Czech Republic has dropped, according to new statistics released by Czech Police today.

Police across the country recorded a total of 192,405 crimes throughout 2018, or about one crime per every 55 people. The number represents a 4.9% decrease over the number of crimes in 2017, and a continuing downward trend in the Czech Republic.

According to Czech Police statistics, the decline is due to dips in both property crimes and violent crimes year-on-year. Economic crimes also saw a significant decrease in 2018.

Still, property crimes – including thefts and burglaries – were by far the most common types of crimes reported to Czech Police, accounting for 51% of the total number of crimes reported in 2018.

Prague saw a 6.2% decrease in the total number of crimes reported to police in 2018, one of the biggest dips across the country.

The Zlín, Olomouc, and South Bohemian regions also saw significant dips in crime over 2018.

Crime rates were slightly up, meanwhile, in the Liberec (4.5%) and Plzeň (2.0%) regions. However, police attributed the increase in the Liberec region to an increase in the number of officers researching crimes.

Czech Police recorded a total of 13,553 violent crimes in 2018, which was 119 less than the previous year. That includes 116 murders, compared to 149 murders in 2017.

Sex crimes and crimes against morality, meanwhile – which includes rape, sexual abuse, and the distribution of child pornograpy – saw a 12.4% increase in 2018, to a total number of 2,655 cases.

Resulting damages from crimes were estimated to be approximately 18 billion crowns, down from 20.3 billion in 2017.