Crime rate increased slightly this year, number of serious crimes remains largely unchanged - police

RIGA - Crime rate in Latvia has slightly increased this year, however, the number of serious crimes has no tendency to increase and the situation is generally under control, Andis Rinkevics, head of the State Police's Crime Prevention Department, told LETA.

Starting from 2018, crime rate in Latvia has been decreasing each year, but this year Latvia, just as many other countries, saw its crime rate increase slightly. This is due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions imposed during the pandemic. As the restrictions were lifted, people returned to their daily routines and crime, such as property crime, increased slightly accordingly, emphasized Rinkevics.

During the pandemic, border controls were stepped up, making it much more difficult for organized crime to get stolen goods out of the country. Now such restrictions do not exist, Rinkevics said.

The police have observed that street crime can increase slightly in the fall and winter. The number of thefts from vehicles may also increase.

The police expect that the number of burglaries could also increase in the near future.

With the onset of the pandemic, the number of fraud attempts increased and continued into this year, including phone fraud, emphasized Rinkevics.

At the same time, the number of serious crimes, including violent crimes, does not tend to increase. Domestic violence increased during the pandemic, Rinkevics added.