Offences and victims reported to the police, 2012

Thefts and other offences for profit made up almost 46 per cent of crimes reported to the police in 2012. With a share of 15 per cent, traffic misdemeanours was the second largest group, while offences of narcotics and the offences group “other crime” constituted almost 12 per cent each.

Compared with 2011, 4.7 per cent more offences for profit were reported in 2012, and 7.3 per cent more narcotic offences. The 6.3 per cent increase in reported traffic offences, to 60 500, was a main contributor to the increase in the total number of misdemeanours. The number of registered violent offences was 3.4 per cent higher than in 2011, and the number of sexually motivated crimes reported also increased, by 2.3 per cent.

The number of reported incidents of damage to property fell, however, by 7.1 per cent compared to 2011. The fall in previous years continued, and the 18 200 reported incidents of damage to property in 2012 was a 26 per cent drop from 2009. Damage to property accounted for just 4.6 per cent of all offences reported to the police in 2012. This is the lowest share ever registered in the 20-year history of the statistics.

Oslo accounted for half the national increase

Over 380 000 of the reported offences in 2012 had a registered scene of crime in Norway. This is 10 800 more offences than in 2011. The scene of crime was Oslo in more than 23 per cent of all reported offences in 2012. Reported offences in the capital were up 4.6 per cent from 2011 to 91 800, which is due to the rise in offences for profit and narcotic offences, by 4 000 and more than 1 000 respectively. The increase for these two groups of offences in Oslo corresponds to almost half of the increase in all offences in Norway.

Increase in several types of offences for profit

Almost 180 000 thefts and other offences for profit were reported in 2012. After a general decline (see Offences reported to the police 2011), there has now been an increase in several types of thefts reported, particularly among thefts of a less serious nature.

A total of almost 82 700 cases of simple larceny were reported in 2012, which was 6.7 per cent more than in 2011. These included almost 6 600 cases of simple larceny from cafes and restaurants; 27 per cent up on 2011 and the highest since 2002. The 15 400 reported bicycle thefts was an increase of 4.5 per cent from 2011. The 19 100 cases of simple larceny from shops and petty larceny was also a 4.5 increase from 2011. Less serious reported incidents of deception were also up from 2011, by 11 per cent, with a total of 11 200 in 2012.

Rise in thefts from persons in a public place, particularly in Oslo

Almost 25 000 incidents of aggravated larceny from a person in a public place were reported in 2012. More than 72 per cent of these took place in Oslo and just over 11 per cent abroad.

The total number of reported incidents of aggravated larceny from a person in a public place was 4 500 higher in 2012 than 2011, and 9 600 higher than 2010. Broken down by scene of crime, the number of incidents in Oslo rose by more than 7 600 in these years. This contributed strongly to pushing up the total number of reported incidents of other aggravated larceny, where aggravated larceny from a person in a public place is included in the statistics, by almost 9 400 from 2010. The total number of reported offences for profit in Oslo was also 13 per cent higher in 2012 than 2010, further consolidating Oslo’s position as the county with the most offences for profit. More than 90 offences for profit were reported per 1 000 inhabitants in 2012 in Oslo. By comparison, the corresponding figure for the second highest county of Østfold was 34.5.

Increase in thefts from villas and flats

A total of 3 900 incidents of simple and aggravated larceny from villas and 4 700 cases of simple and aggravated larceny from flats were reported in 2012; up 8.6 and 4.1 per cent respectively from 2011. A total of 17 300 reported incidents of simple and aggravated larceny were reported from homes and holiday homes overall in 2012, which is a good 2 per cent more than in 2011. However, the number in 2012 is still lower than in the 18-year history of the statistics on offences reported to the police (see figure).

Decline in thefts of and from motor vehicles continues

In 2012, just under 8 000 thefts of motor vehicles and 7 300 incidents of aggravated larceny from a car and other means of transport were reported. For both of these types of theft combined, this is a drop of almost 15 per cent from 2011. The trend in these offences continues to see a major decline, and the overall number of reports has fallen by almost two thirds since 1993 when the statistics were introduced (see figure).

Most offences for profit committed in the most populated municipalities

Over half of all counties saw an increase in the number of offences for profit, based on the scene of crime of the offences reported in 2011 and 2012. The largest increases were in Oslo and Hordaland counties, by 4 000 and 1 050 respectively from 2011. A further 2 700 offences for profit abroad were reported.

When broken down by municipality, the figures clearly show that the scope of reported thefts and other offences for profit generally increase with the number of inhabitants in the municipalities. In 2012, for example, 11.3 offences for profit were reported per 1 000 inhabitants in municipalities with a population of less than 2 000. The corresponding figure for municipalities with 50 000 inhabitants or more was 55.8 – almost five times higher than in the least populated municipalities (see figure).

New increase in reported narcotic offences

A total of 45 900 narcotic offences were reported in 2012, which is 3 100 more than 2011, making the number of registered narcotic offences the highest since 2001. Adjusting for the increase in population during this period, however, the 2012 level is somewhat lower than in both 2002 and 2010.

The number of narcotic offences under both the Penal Code and the Act relating to medicines etc. saw a rise from 2011. Narcotic offences under the Penal Code were almost at the same level as 2010, when the figure was at a record high. The almost 23 500 violations of the Act relating to medicines etc. concerning use and possession in 2012 was the highest since the start of the 2000s (see figure).

Oslo had by far the largest increase, making it the county with not only the most such offences in absolute numbers but also with the largest share of reported narcotic offences relative to the population.

More threats and assaults, but fewer murders

In 2012, almost 27 200 incidents of violent offences were reported. This figure includes almost 7 400 threats and 19 200 incidents of physical violence ; 7.6 and 2 per cent higher than 2011 respectively. Of the various types of physical violence, the largest increase in terms of numbers was in the less severe forms of physical violence, assault (see figure). The 2 800 reported cases of bodily harm, which is a more serious type of violence, however, was somewhat fewer than in the previous two years. In 2012, 27 murders were registered; the lowest number ever in the 20-year history of the statistics on offences reported to the police.

The number of reported cases of ill treatment within families was about the same in 2012 as in the two preceding years. Of the almost 2 600 reported cases, however, 59 were registered as serious ill treatment within families, which is the highest number recorded since the legislation on this type of offence entered into force in 2006.

Stable level since turn of the century

A total of 5.4 violent offences were reported per 1 000 inhabitants in 2012, and even when adjusting for the increase in population, the figure was still higher than in 2011. The overall share, however, remains at the same relatively stable level since the turn of the century, when between 5.3 and 5.6 violent offences were reported per 1 000 inhabitants.

Scope of violent offences varies throughout Norway

The scope of reported violent offences varies in different parts of the country, and the pattern has remained relatively stable most years. As in all previous statistics on offences reported to the police, the level is highest in Oslo and Finnmark – with 9.3 and 8.5 violent offences per 1000 inhabitants respectively in 2012. As in most years, the fewest violent offences were reported in Sogn og Fjordane, with 3.3 per 1 000 inhabitants in 2012.

When grouping the municipalities by population size, the number of violent crimes increases with the size of the municipality. The scope in the second most populated municipalities – those with between 0 000 and 49 999 inhabitants – was, however, almost at the same level as in the municipalities with more than 50 000 inhabitants (see figure).

Increase in reported sexually motivated offences continues

A total of 4 700 sexually motivated offences were reported in 2012, thus continuing the post 2005 trend of annual increases in such crimes. Compared to 2011, the number of rape cases reported in 2012 was somewhat higher, at almost 1 120, which was the most ever recorded. Fewer attempted rapes were reported in 2012 compared to 2011, but the 104 incidents in 2012 is almost the same as the annual average for the past 18 years. Reported cases of sexual abuse of children remain the same as in 2011, with 874.