Sexual offences in the Balearics increase by 20%

There was a total of 12,816 crimes in the Balearics, a rise of 5.5%. Breaking and entering into all types of property was up almost over 28% to 1,044. In the case of domestic properties, it went up almost 30% to 699. There were three murders, two more than last year, and seven attempted murders, the same as last year. Robbery with violence increased by 1.7% to 240. Theft increased by under one per cent to 3,638, with a greater rise (2.6%) for vehicle theft - 310 in all. Drug crimes rose by 5.5% to 59. There was one kidnapping. From January to March last year there were none.

In the whole of the country, there was a 13.8% rise in sexual offences (to 3,025) and an almost 30% increase in rapes (371). There were just over half a million crimes in all.

The crime rate was 44.1 crimes per one thousand inhabitants. In 2017 as a whole it was 43.9. In many categories there were, however, decreases: almost 20% fewer vehicle thefts, 6.3% fewer murders and 17.3% fewer attempted murders. Drug crimes were up almost five per cent and there was some increase in breaking and entering.

The Balearics, in relative terms, had the highest increase in crime in the country. The 5.5% rise was followed by Navarre with 4.9%. In absolute terms, Catalonia had the worst record - 109,288, up over 12%.