Cyber scams in the Canary Islands skyrocketed in the first nine months of 2023, in addition, robberies increased and sexual offenses decreased, compared to the same period in 2002, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior.
According to the crime balance as of September 30 published this Friday by the Ministry of the Interior, the number of crimes reported in the islands has increased this year almost four points more than in the country as a whole, where it did so by 5.0%.
The Canary Islands recorded 77,190 crimes until September, 8.9% more than in the same nine months of 2022, a figure in which the growth of 29.4% experienced by computer scams and the increase of 15.2% in violent robberies stands out, also the decrease in sexual offenses.
All the islands closed the third quarter with increases, specifically in Lanzarote, with 10.1%. In the other islands it rose, in La Palma 33.6%, in Fuerteventura 20.2%, in La Gomera 11.9%, in Tenerife 9.3% and in Gran Canaria 5.6%. The only one that has not risen is El Hierro, where infractions fell by 4.5%.
By type of crime, from January to September 15 homicides and completed murders were reported in the Canary Islands, five more than the previous year (plus 50%), and 38 in the attempted stage, four more (plus 11.8%), as well as 1,047 cases of fights and injuries, 12.7% more.
At the same time, the kidnapping crimes reported were four, three more than the previous year. One of the most striking sections in the Canary Islands statistics is the decrease seen in crimes against sexual freedom, 786, 1.6% less, because it contrasts with the trend in the rest of the country, where this type of crime rebounds by 12.0%.
Within that same chapter of crimes, in the Canary Islands rapes have decreased by 4.1% (164, seven less) and 1.0% the rest of sexual crimes (622, six less). On the other hand, in the islands robberies with force and intimidation increase more than in the rest of the country: 15.2% compared to an average of 2.2% in the rest of the national territory. Specifically, 1,395 were registered. However, robberies with force decreased, 2,582 (-0.2%), and in particular those committed in homes, 1,628 (less 10.5%).
As for the rest of property crimes, thefts increased by 11.1%, to a total of 19,400, and 19.7% the theft of vehicles, with 1,077 cases. Also, there were 599 complaints for drug trafficking, almost the same as a year before (one less, 0.2%), and a total of 37,485 conventional crimes cataloged in other categories, 4.2% more.
As for cybercrime, 12,762 cases were reported in the islands, 24.8% more, of which 11,277 were computer scams, 29.4% more, and 1,485 crimes of another type, 2.1% less.