Crime figures for the city in 2023
Last year’s crime figures were down by 7.3% compared to 2019, the year before the pandemic, but up by 8.6% compared to 2022. Police activity was up in terms of the number of detentions, with 23% more, and the number of people investigated, at 11.4% more than the previous year. These are just some of the figures analysed by the first session of the year by the Local Security Board.
Two Barcelona Guàrdia Urbana officers
Police activity up in 2023
The police detained 27,252 people last year, a 23% increase compared to 2022, and investigated 57,169 people, some 11.4% more, with the percentage of cases solved rising by 1.43% compared to the previous year. With the Pla d’Acció Tremall, a joint police operation between the Mossos d’Esquadra and the City Police, the police detected 526 multiple repeat offenders who were responsible for 6,169 crimes, mainly pickpocketing and muggings in streets.
Pickpocketing and scams as the most usual crimes
Pickpocketing accounted for 48.1% of crimes committed in Barcelona. In 2023, the figure was reduced by 22% compared to 2019, from 129,149 incidents to 100,944, but was up by 6.5% compared to 2022 (94,7769). Most offences occurred in public streets (72.9%). Scams were up by 35% compared to 2022 and account for 15.1% of all crime. Most of these cases occurred on the internet (70%).
In terms of thefts with breaking and entering, compared to 2022, this rose by 40.4% in commercial establishments, from 1,878 cases to 2,636. The figure for these crimes in households dropped by 1.1%, from 4,500 cases to 4,449, representing a reduction of 22.5% (5,741 cases) compared to 2019. The same type of crime with vehicles fell by 5.8% and by 17% compared to 2019.
Offences against people represent 6.58% of all crime and were up by 11.1% compared to 2022, from 12,434 cases to 13,813. In terms of crimes against public health, these rose by 5.9% compared to last year, from 1,588 cases to 1,682. Police measures, with specific operations, were increased to fight drug trafficking. Last year, the Mossos d’Esquadra, in collaboration with the City Police, detained 284 people, deactivated 18 sales points and recovered 59 homes where illegal substances were being sold.
More reports of sexual violence
Reports denouncing sexual violence were up by 24.5% compared to 2022, and cases of gender violence rose by 21.2% compared to the previous year.
Police action over the course of the last year to tackle these types of violence were backed up with the action plan against sexual violence and the operational plan on nightlife, the goal being greater prevention and detection. In this respect, in the summer of 2022 the City Police introduced four permanent safe routes in different nightlife areas for people to reach the nearest public transport stops: the seafront, Poblenou, Paral·les and Gràcia/Sarrià-Sant Gervasi.
