In 2009 approximately 1,410,000 offences were reported to the police, the customs authority or the prosecution service. This represents an increase of two percent by comparison with the figure for 2008.
The major part of this increase is accounted for by an increase in the number of reported fraud offences, criminal damage, shoplifting, molestation and residential burglaries. Violent offences increased by three percent, whereas theft offences, which constitute the largest category of crimes in terms of their absolute number, fell by one percent by comparison with the figure for 2008. Violent offences are numerically dominated by assaults, which underwent a two percent increase.
During the period between 1975 and 1990, the number of reported offences rose by 61 percent. The increase was relatively constant throughout this period. By contrast, the level of reported offences has since remained more or less stable, with the exception of the last three years, when the level has been higher.
Diagram: The total number of reported crimes, 1975-2009
The number of offences has increased across the majority of offence categories during the period between 1975 and 2008. Burglaries constitute an exception to this general rule, however. Since the beginning of the 1990s, trends show an increase in levels of reported violent offences, unlawful threat, molestation and sex crimes, whereas the number of reported thefts, such as car thefts and burglaries has declined.
Diagram: The number of reported crimes against life and health, 1975-2009.
Reported violent offences are numerically dominated by assaults. Over the course of 2009, a total of approximately 86,300 assault offences were reported, which constitutes an increase of two percent by comparison with the figure for 2008. Assaults on women, aged 18 years or older, increased by approximately one percent to approximately 26,300 reported offences. In addition, there were a total of 2,660 reported cases of violation of a woman’s integrity – which represents a decrease of three percent by comparison with the number reported in 2008. The number of assaults on men was approximately 40,900 reported offences. Reported assaults on children up to six years of age increased by 15 percent to slightly 2,200 offences in 2009. The number of reported assault offences against children aged between seven and fourteen (about 8,9000 offences) increased by four percent by comparison with the figure for the previous year. The number of reported assault offences against both children and adults has increased since 1975 and today lies at a level that is four times that of the 1975 figure.
Almost 15,700 sex crimes were reported in 2009, which represents an increase of nine percent by comparison with the number reported in 2008. There was an increase in the number of reported rape offences, which rose by nine percent to 5,940. The number of reported crimes of sexual coercion, exploitation etc. increased by two percent by comparison with the figure for 2008.
Diagram: The number of reported crimes against property, 1975-2009.
In 2009, the number of reported robberies increased by seven percent by comparison with the figure for 2008 to 9,570. Over the period between 1975 and 2000, this figure increased from just over 2,300 to 9,000, subsequent to which the level has stabilised, at least until 2008. Robberies against the person, i.e. those perpetrated against private individuals, which comprise about 70 percent of reported robbery offences, decreased by eight percent to 6,730 in 2009. Four percent (276) of these robberies against the person were committed abroad but reported in Sweden. A total of over 1,150 robberies of shops and stores were reported in 2009, which constitutes an increase of 15 percent by comparison with the number reported in 2008. At the same time, 77 bank and postal robberies were reported in 2009, which is close to the average number during the last ten years. The trend in reported robberies of shops and stores has been on the increase since the beginning of the 1980s. A total of approximately 4,950 violent offences against public servants (police, security officers etc.) were reported in 2009. This represents an increase of one percent by comparison with the number reported in 2008.
Slightly over 554,000 theft offences were reported in 2009, which represents a reduction of one percent in relation to figure for the previous year. This category of crimes accounts for 39 percent of the total number of reported offences. The number of reported theft offences increased between 1975 and 1990, at which point the figure reached a peak. Subsequent to this point, the number of theft offences has declined and now lies at a level that is 25 percent lower than that recorded in 1990. Slightly over 23,700 car thefts were reported in 2009, along with nearly 73,500 thefts from motor vehicles. The number of car thefts declined by fifteen percent, and the number of thefts from motor vehicles by eight percent by comparison with the figures for 2008. The number of reported car thefts peaked in 1990. Since then the number of such offences has fallen by approximately 69 percent.
A total of slightly 20,500 residential burglaries (thefts committed in connection with break-ins) were reported in 2009, which represents an increase of thirteen percent by comparison with the figure for 2008. The number of reported fraud offences increased by ten percent to almost 108,000 crimes.
Reported criminal damage offences increased by a total of four percent, to 202,000 crimes. The number of reported incidents of graffiti on the public transport system increased by 29 percent.
In addition, reported drug offences increased to approximately 80,300 and road traffic offences decreased to 77,600 offences. Drug offences and drink driving offences are examples of offence types where the number of recorded crimes increases in line with increased levels of police activity in these areas.
Diagram: The proportion of reported offences by the type of offences, 2009.
