The crime situation registered an improvement in 2007. Overall crime reported in 2007 fell from 33,263 to 32,545 cases when compared to 2006. Overall crime rate also fell from 742 to 695 per 100,000 population in 2007, which was the third-lowest in ten years.

Housebreaking and related crimes fell, from 1201 cases to 925 cases. In particular, the offence of housebreaking registered only 865 cases, which is the lowest in the last 20 years.

Theft and related crimes¹, which generally constitute more than half of overall crime each year, fell for the second year running from 20,301 to 19,522 cases in 2007.

Of the six crime classes², only commercial crimes recorded a significant increase of 330 cases. Violent property crimes increased slightly while crimes against persons and miscellaneous crimes did not register any significant change.

Police are particularly concerned with confrontational property crimes against the elderly³, and cheating and related offences in 2007. Specifically, elderly victims falling prey to snatch theft and robbery increased by 71 persons, from 170 to 241 in 2007. Elderly victims of cheating and related offences also rose from 97 to 115 persons in 2007. The emergence of various cheating phone scams targeting the unsuspecting public contributed to the rise of cheating and related offences. In addition, there were also concerns over statutory rape and outrage of modesty cases involving youths.

The number of arrests made by the Police marginally decreased from 19,639 to 19,371. For youth arrests⁴, a total of 4,135 youths were arrested for crime in 2007, as compared to 4,280 in 2006. Six out of every ten youths arrested were involved in shop theft, other theft or rioting.

1 Theft and related crimes include other theft, theft in dwelling (others), shop theft, theft of bicycle, theft from person, etc and also includes the index crimes motor vehicle theft and snatch theft.

2 Crime classes refer to the six crime classes of crimes against persons, violent property crimes, housebreaking and related crimes, theft and related crimes, commercial crimes and miscellaneous crimes.

3 Refers to victims who were aged 60 years and above.

4 Refers to persons aged 7 to 19 years.