Prague crime drops to lowest level in 15 years

Crime in the Czech capital fell by nearly 10 percent last year to its lowest level in 15 years, Prague police spokesman Jan Daněk said on Thursday. Officers recorded 34,853 offences in the Czech capital, down 9.3 percent year-on-year. About 27 percent of cases were solved, roughly the same rate as the previous year.

The most common crimes were theft and burglary, accounting for 43 percent of all offences. The share of pickpocketing fell slightly, while fraud cases increased, partly due to the spread of modern technologies.

Police recorded 23 murders last year, compared with 19 a year earlier, and investigators say they know the perpetrators in all of those cases.

Violent crime made up about 4.6 percent of all crime. Sexual offences, which have been rising in recent years, accounted for roughly two percent.