Crime Wave Engulfs Sweden as Fraud, Sexual Offenses Reach Record
- Five of six types of crimes against individuals at record high
- Annual Swedish Crime Survey shows increase in past two years
Police conduct searches in Malmo, Sweden
Photographer: Asger Ladefoged/AFP via Getty Images
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The number of Swedes who were victims of crimes such as fraud and sexual offenses jumped to the highest level on record last year.
A survey by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention showed that 15.6 percent of people suffered one or more offences against the person (defined in the survey as assault, threats, sexual offences, robbery, fraud or harassment) last year. That’s up from 13.3 percent in 2015 and the highest number recorded since the annual Swedish Crime Survey started in 2006.