Home > Statistics > Offences known to the police > 2013 > 4th quarter > Number of frauds and means of payment frauds increased in 2013

Published: 17 January 2014

Number of frauds and means of payment frauds increased in 2013

According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, a total of 424,400 offences were recorded by the police, customs and border guard from January to December 2013, which is 400 cases (0.1 per cent) fewer than in the corresponding period of one year earlier. The number of property offences recorded was 240,400, which is 3,000 cases (one per cent) more than in 2012. The recorded number of crimes against life and health was 37,800, which is 2,600 cases (six per cent) lower than in the respective period of the previous year. In addition, 444,500 cases of endangerment of traffic safety and traffic infractions were registered.

Frauds and means of payment frauds in January to December 2000–2013

The number of frauds (fraud, petty fraud, aggravated fraud) has grown considerably over the 2000s. In 2013, 22,800 frauds were recorded, which is nine per cent more than in the year before. In the 2000s, the average number of frauds has been 15,000 per year. In 2013, a total of 1,100 aggravated frauds were recorded, which is six per cent more than one year earlier.

During 2013, means of payment frauds numbered 7,600, which is 1,400 cases (22 per cent) more than in the previous year. The recorded number of aggravated means of payment frauds was 121, which is nine cases fewer than one year earlier. In the 2000s, the average number of means of payment frauds has been 4,100 from January to December.

The number of robberies reported was 1,530, which is seven per cent less than in the previous year. Over the last ten years, 1,800 robberies were recorded between January and December, on average.

The recorded number of unauthorised uses and thefts of a motor vehicle and thefts of use of a motor vehicle was 8,000, which is ten per cent less than in the year before. From the early 2000s, the number of these offences has fallen by one third.

In 2013, 43,400 damages to property were recorded, which is two per cent less than the year before. The number of damages to property was 15 per cent lower than the average for the previous ten years.

During 2013, 35,400 assault offences were recorded, while the corresponding figure was 37,900 one year before. Over the period 2003 to 2012, an average of 33,200 assault offences were recorded per year. Compared to the previous year, aggravated assaults decreased by four per cent. The recorded number was 1,810. Between 2003 and 2012, the average number of aggravated assaults was 2,140 per year.

In January to December 2013, the number of rapes recorded was 980, against 1,020 one year earlier. Over the past ten years, the average number of rapes has been 760 per year. The recorded number of sexual exploitations of a child was 1,670, which is five per cent more than in the year before. Detected sexual exploitations of a child have increased considerably in recent years. The numbers of rapes and sexual exploitations of a child vary much yearly. Individual reports of an offence may include a series of incidents comprising several criminal acts.

The number of drunken driving was 18,100 in 2013, which is 1,100 cases (six per cent) fewer than in the corresponding period of the year before. One-half of the recorded drunken driving cases were aggravated drunken driving. Aggravated drunken driving decreased by 13 per cent and other drunken driving increased by two per cent. Over the last ten years, 24,200 cases of drunken driving were recorded between January and December, on average.

The number of narcotics offences recorded was 22,600, which is up by 13 per cent on the year before. The number of aggravated narcotics offences went up by 20 per cent. The number recorded was 1,200.

The presentation of the statistics was revised as of the beginning of 2009. Endangerment of traffic safety and traffic offences are separated from other offences and they are presented in a separate table. The total number of offences is comparable with earlier figures, because the same division has also been made retrospectively until 1980. The aim of the revision is to improve the comparability of offences between different years and enhance their international comparability. The quality description of the statistics contains annually more detailed information about revisions but it is regrettably only published in Finnish.

From the beginning of 2009, offences recorded by the customs and border guard are also included. The change does not have much effect on the comparability of offences. Of the most common types of offences the change primarily affects the comparability of narcotics offences.

Number of certain types of offences in October, November and December, and in January to December 2013 and change from the corresponding period of the previous year

Offence	October		November		December		January-December
	2013	Change	2013	Change	2013	Change	2013	Change
All offences 1)	36,698	240	33,854	84	29,232	3,154	424,434	-401
Burglary	3,077	12	2,738	-134	2,327	257	32,529	-2,601
Unauthorised uses and thefts of a motor vehicle, thefts of use of a motor vehicle	738	-16	569	-49	414	-2	7,960	-853
Robbery	153	31	131	-38	139	29	1,531	-117
Damage to property	3,664	-328	3,412	-367	2,974	532	43,371	-1,002
Manslaughter, murder and killing	8	-1	8	-1	11	3	100	9
Assault	2,820	-224	2,945	-127	2,883	-54	35,355	-2,502
Rape	77	-5	81	25	71	-2	977	-43
Drunken driving	1,463	-41	1,498	72	1,368	47	18,053	-1,113
Narkotics offences	1,929	284	1,993	301	1,501	243	22,604	2,563

1) Excl. endangerment of traffic safety, hit-and-run, traffic infraction, violation of social welfare legislation on road traffic, and motor vehicle infraction.

Number of endangerment of traffic safety and traffic infractions in October, November and December, and in January to December 2013 and change from the corresponding period of the previous year

Offence	October		November		December		January-December
	2013	Change	2013	Change	2013	Change	2013	Change
Endangerment of traffic safety, hit-and-run, traffic infraction, violation of social welfare legislation on road traffic and motor vehicle infraction	35,554	-4,297	34,571	-1,528	31,289	10,431	444,537	9,346
-exceeding speed limits 1)	24,294	-2,223	24,599	-715	23,244	11,638	315,846	26,956

1) Cases of exceeding speed limits registered as endangerment of traffic safety, aggravated endangerment of traffic safety and traffic infractions.

Source: Offences known to the police 2013, 4. quarter

Inquiries: Kimmo Haapakangas 09 1734 3252, rikos@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Development of certain types of offences in January to December 2009 to 2013 (preliminary data) (17.1.2014)
• Appendix table 2. Number of endangerment of traffic safety and traffic infractions in January to December 2009 to 2013 (preliminary data) (17.1.2014)

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Updated 17.01.2014