So far this year, Lanzarote has registered more sexual assaults than in all of 2021 and doubles the drug trafficking crimes of previous quarters, according to the latest Criminality Balance of the Ministry of the Interior, collected by the Lanzarote Data Center.
Specifically, in January, February and March there were three sexual assaults with penetration on the island, 200% more than in the same period of 2021, since in the whole of last year there was only one assault of this caliber.
For its part, drug trafficking has also experienced an exponential increase, doubling and tripling the figures of previous quarters. At the beginning of 2022, 34 crimes of this type have been registered, compared to 15 at the end of 2021 and 142.9% more year-on-year.
Crime rises with respect to the end of 2021
In general terms, according to the Criminality Balance of the Ministry of the Interior, crime increased in Lanzarote in the months of January, February and March, with a total of 1,464 criminal offenses.
Particularly, there were 25 more crimes in this first quarter than in the previous months. However, if compared with the data from the same period of 2021, it remains practically stable, with a slight decrease of 0.7%.
Burglaries in homes and establishments increased, from 57 at the end of 2021 to 62 this year, of which 36 occurred in homes. Meanwhile, vehicle thefts were also on the rise with 13 infractions. In addition, it should be noted that there was also an intentional homicide or consummated murder, something that did not occur in the previous period.
Thefts and robberies with violence are reduced
However, there are infractions that have been reduced in these last three months, as is the case of thefts, since in December there were 354 compared to 318 this quarter and, if compared with January, February and March of 2021, they also decrease by 7.8%.
In that line, robberies with violence and intimidation drop 13 points, to 25, as well as the crimes of injury of tumultuous riot, which marked 28 crimes at the end of 2021 and now decrease to 21. If both are compared with the same period of 2021, robberies with violence increase by 8.7% and crimes of riot injuries decrease by 19.2%.
Finally, it should be noted that there was again an intentional homicide or attempted murder and no kidnapping was recorded, as in previous months.
38.11% of crimes are registered in Arrecife
According to the Ministry's Balance, 38.11% of the crimes in Lanzarote during the first three months of 2022 took place in Arrecife, while Tías concentrates 21.04%.
And, in the capital, 558 criminal offenses were registered of the total, which represents a decrease of 11.3% compared to last year. In Arrecife there were two homicides, one consummated and one attempted, and 7 crimes against sexual freedom and indemnity, of which one was a sexual assault with penetration.
Likewise, of the total, 119 corresponded to thefts, 22 to robberies with violence in homes and establishments and 13 to robberies with violence and intimidation. The capital also brought together 10 crimes of riot injuries, 11 for drug trafficking, 11 vehicle thefts and 363 crimes for other criminal offenses.
For its part, the municipality of Tías marked 308 criminal offenses, 31.1% more than in the first three months of 2021. In addition, it concentrates practically a third of the thefts, with a figure of 94, and stands out for having suffered 8 robberies with violence, 300% more than in the first quarter of last year.
Finally, it should be noted that one of the sexual assaults with penetration occurred in this municipality.
