Justice Ministry: Homicides Down, Fraud Up
Homicides were down slightly from previous years at the five-month mark of this year, the Justice Ministry said in its crime barometer report.
There were 24 murders and other killings - 12 fewer than in the first five months of 2012 and the lowest indicator for the past five years.
A total 16,047 crimes were registered, 3 percent fewer than in the equivalent 2012 period.
Fraud was the category with the greatest increase, but it, too, was lower than it was in 2009 and 2010. Cases where people have tried to obtain mobile phones from wireless operators by fraudulent means were significantly up.
Online fraud has been increasingly making the news of late. Just this week saw the breakup of a relatively sophisticated scheme where a gang used information obtained from the Internet to make people fake offers for automotive goods. But some swindles of yesteryear are now history - the practice of selling owners back their stolen cars has ceased to exist.
Crimes against property were down 11 percent, with 829 cases so far in 2013. Above all, thefts from commercial enterprises decreased, but other burglaries and break-ins were also down.
There were 160 more cases of assault and battery - a 7 percent increase.