Law enforcement agency records highest crime level in 2023 since 2012's statistics.
Saw a surge in sexual assaults (up 14.9%), pocket picking and bag snatching (up 16.4%), plus a spike in violent acts (10.6% increase). Over half of the crimes under the Federal Police's supervision - approximately 425,000 - occurred within trains, train stations, or other rail facilities.
As per the report, large city train stations have long been vulnerable to violent acts. Yet, it highlights an unsettling trend: the most severe crimes are now being reported in rural or smaller towns, as well as aboard trains.
The number of unlawful entries into Germany swelled substantially, hitting a record high of 127,549 last year, a 39% rise from 2022. Most of these cases occurred at the land border with Poland (32,893), followed closely by Austria (28,099), Switzerland (18,539), and the Czech Republic (16,700).
Cases below 10,000 were reported at other German land borders. Around 13,900 illegal entries were recorded by air.
Federal Police Chief Dieter Romann mentioned, "Border control is a key role of our agency. We don't restrict movement or trade; rather, we regulate them."
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), presenting the report in Rostock on Monday, assured enhancements to the Federal Police in response to the escalating crime rates. She revealed that the budget for 2025 will include an extra 310 million euros, and an additional 312 million euros will be allocated annually from 2026. The Federal Police will be bolstered by an additional 1,000 positions in the upcoming year as well.
Despite the focus on border control, criminal offenses such as sexual assaults, pocket picking, and bag snatching, along with violent acts, have seen significant increases within the country's rail system. This troubling trend of severe crimes extending beyond large city train stations into rural or smaller towns and aboard trains requires immediate attention.
