The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) recently released statistics on the most common crimes in Sweden during the first half of 2024. They’ve also compared the figures with statistics from the first half of 2023. We can already see some clear increases and decreases among the reported crimes. The data reveals a mixed trend where certain types of crimes, particularly those related to drugs and vandalism, are increasing, while traditional crimes such as theft and larceny are decreasing.
The largest increase among the most common crimes in Sweden has occurred in drug-related offenses. Possession of drugs accounts for a significant portion of this increase. Over 10,000 more cases were reported compared to the same period in 2023. Also, vandalism has increased significantly. Particularly graffiti targeting public transportation and vandalism aimed at state and municipal buildings, contributing to a large number of new reports.
At the same time, the number of reported theft and larceny offenses decreased during the first half of 2024. Approximately 170,000 crimes were reported in this category, which is 7% fewer than the previous year. The most significant decrease was seen in vehicle-related thefts, with nearly 7,500 fewer reports.
Among the most common crimes in Sweden, rape against boys and young men increased
Crimes against persons, which include violent crimes such as assault and rape, have increased by 4% in 2024 compared to the first half of 2023. Reported assault cases against both women and men aged 18 and older saw a slight increase. At the same time, the total number of reported rape cases remained roughly the same as the previous year. However, there are significant differences within certain specific groups:
- Rape against adults: The number of reported rapes against women aged 18 and older increased by 1%, while rape cases against men in the same age group increased by 18%.
- Rape against children and young people: Reports of rapes against children under 18 years old decreased overall by 2%. However, the number of reported rapes against boys and young men aged 15–17 increased by a staggering 37%.
The statistics on the most common crimes in Sweden during the first half of 2024 reveal a very complex development. Particularly regarding the increase in reported rapes against boys and young men. This increase could be due to the fact that it’s more acceptable nowadays for boys to come forward about having been subjected to sexual violence. The increase could also be due to multiple reports being filed for the same crime. Therefore, it’s difficult to draw a conclusion about why certain crimes have significantly increased while others have significantly decreased.
