Crime Statistics (January - December 2007)

2007 was the second year that the overall crime fell, after a four-year period of increase between 2002 and 2005. The crime rate2 per 100,000 population mark fell from 756 in 2006 to 715 in 2007. 2007 was the ninth consecutive year in which the crime rate remained below the 1,000 crimes per 100,000 population mark. In terms of arrests, a total of 20,107 persons were arrested for overall crime in 2007, an increase of 2.4% from the preceding year.

¹The overall crime figure for 2007 is revised.
²The crime rate is based on the total population which comprises Singapore residents and foreigners staying in Singapore for at least one year. Total population figures for 2003 to 2007 have been revised by Department of Statistics as of February 2008, to exclude residents and permanent residents who have been away for a continuous period of 12 months or longer at the reference period. Source: Department of Statistics.

Crime Classes³

Two of the six crime classes, namely Housebreaking and Related Crimes, and Theft and Related Crimes registered decreases in 2007. Commercial Crimes registered a significant increase of 13% or 406 cases, while Crimes Against Persons, Violent Property Crimes and Miscellaneous Crimes registered marginal increases.

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³Crime classes refer to the six classes of Crimes Against Persons, Violent Property Crimes,
Housebreaking and Related Crimes, Theft and Related Crimes, Commercial Crimes, and Miscellaneous Crimes.
⁴Excludes statutory rape cases (involve victims aged 13 years and below who have had consensual sexual intercourse with the culprits).

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Youths⁷ Arrested

A total of 4,526 youths were arrested for crime in 2007, as compared to 4,280 in 2006. Youths arrested in 2007 registered a slight increase8 in proportion out of total persons arrested and was overrepresented
in terms of the proportion of youth population in Singapore9. The three most common offences for which youths were arrested continued to be shop theft, other theft and rioting.

Foreigners Arrested

The number of foreigners arrested for crime increased from 3,210 persons in 2006 to 3,780 persons in 2007. They accounted for about 19% of the total persons arrested, an increase of 2% points from 2006. About six out of 10 foreigners were arrested for Theft and Related Crimes, with shop theft accounting for about 34% of the arrests.

Public-Assisted Arrests¹⁰ For Selected Offences

Members of public contributed to the arrest of 695 criminals for selected major offences of murder, rape, outrage of modesty, robbery, housebreaking, theft of motor vehicle and snatch theft. These publicassisted arrests accounted for around 37% of the total arrests in these crimes in 2007, which is a marginal decrease of 2% points from 2006.

Conclusion

Singapore still remains a safe place to live and work in. The overall crime rate for 2007 dipped to the third lowest in 10 years and was the result of a firm police-community partnership that has been forged over the years.

SPF will continue to involve the community by seeking the inputs of its members to meet future safety and security challenges and enlisting their help to reach out and protect those who are more vulnerable to crime.

⁵Refers to cases where handphones or handphones and other items were taken for cases of theft from vehicle, theft from person, shop theft, theft in dwelling, cheating and related offences, robbery, housebreaking, snatch theft, theft as a servant and other theft under Sec379 of Penal Code Cap 224. 
⁶Infocommunications Development Authority (IDA), Singapore listed the mobile phone penetration rate in Singapore as 122.5% in December 2007.
⁷Refers to persons (both residents and foreigners) aged 7–19 years old.
⁸From 22% in 2006 to 23% in 2007
⁹Estimated proportion of youth population is less than 1/5 of total population.
¹⁰Public-assisted arrests refer to citizen’s arrests or arrests made through information provided by the public. Statistics for public-assisted arrests cover seven selected offences – murder, rape, outrage of modesty, robbery, housebreaking, theft of motor vehicle and snatch theft, and are compiled in terms of number of persons arrested.