Property Crimes in Dortmund

Property crimes have traditionally accounted for the largest share not only in Dortmund’s crime statistics. In 2014, theft offences made up 48.5 percent of all recorded crime, meaning that almost every second crime reported to the police in Dortmund was a theft. The increase in cases compared with the previous year was a significant 13.32 percent. Our Dortmund detective agency can advise you on preventing offences against your property and, of course, assist in the recovery of stolen goods: +49 231 8401 0065.

Types of Theft Offences by Frequency

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2. Shoplifting continued to rise in 2014 as the most common type of theft, accounting for 8.16 percent of all offences (an increase of 16.85 percent compared with the previous year).

3. Thefts to/from motor vehicles (7.5 percent) rose slightly (plus 0.87 percent on the previous year) despite a declining clearance rate.

4. Bicycle thefts saw a strong increase: Bicycle theft became the third most frequent theft offence, accounting for 5.26 percent of all crimes (an increase of 86.56 percent compared with the previous year).

5. Pickpocketing (5.11 percent) again rose significantly (plus 20.51 percent compared with the previous year) with an improved clearance rate.

6. Theft in/from apartments: 4.35 percent of all offences. The number of residential burglaries increased by 12.35 percent compared with the previous year, despite a slightly declining clearance rate. Fortunately, many offences remain at the attempted stage – keywords: security technology | burglary prevention.

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Pickpocketing in Dortmund

In 2014, exactly 4,653 cases of pickpocketing were reported in Dortmund. Most could not be solved, for example because offenders quickly disappear into crowds or attack victims in quiet areas and escape unseen. As victims often only notice later that they have been stolen from, pickpockets prefer crowded places, such as Christmas and annual markets or on buses and trains.

Theft in Crowded Areas: Civil Example from 2010

At 4:30 pm on the underground in Dortmund: A middle-aged woman was on her way home from Huckarde to Barop via the city centre after work. The train was initially not overly crowded, and she could even find a seat. By the time the train reached the city, however, so many people had boarded that everyone was standing closely packed. The woman stood and moved towards the door, as she needed to change trains at the next station, Stadtgarten. Around her stood people who also intended to leave at the next stop, including a young man in his mid-twenties. The woman reached into her outer jacket pocket to check her ticket when she suddenly felt another hand in her pocket. The young man next to her flinched, withdrew his hand, apologised, and said he thought it was his own pocket. At that moment, the train stopped and the doors opened. The young man immediately jumped out while the woman shouted for him to stop. But he ran off, no one restrained him, and the security staff were nowhere in sight. The woman tried to follow, but in vain. When she reached the upper level of the underground station, she saw the security staff outside smoking together. The offender had disappeared.