Offences and victims reported to the police, 2007

Nearly 272 000 crimes and more than 126 000 misdemeanours were reported to the police in 2007, down by 1.9 per cent and up by 2.6 per cent, respectively, since 2006. Compared to the previous year, the reduction was particularly large for offences for profit (7 000 fewer), but also narcotic offences (940) had a decrease (3.7 and 2.3 per cent respectively). The 180 000 offences for profit reported to the police in 2007, is the lowest number in the statistics’ 15 year old history.

Still a decrease in automobile theft and larceny from dwelling

The reduction in theft of and from motor vehicles that has taken place over the last couple of years, intensified in 2007. The decline was strongest for theft of automobiles, down by as much as 21 per cent from 2006. On average, 15 700 automobile larcenies were reported annually in the ten year period 1993-2002, and theft of automobiles is thus halved during the last years - to 7 400 cases in 2007 (see figure). Also larcenies from dwellings continue this downward trend. All in all, there were 18 300 of these types of simple and aggravated larcenies -7 per cent less than in 2006 (see figure).

Fewer offences for profit in almost all counties

All counties had a decrease in offences for profit compared to the year before, except in Nord-Trøndelag and Oslo. When population size is taken into account, Østfold is now the county with second most offences for profit (44 per 1 000 population), but Oslo has double the amount of reports to the police (89 per 1 000 population). In 2007, according to the reports to the police, there are about one fourth fewer larcenies and other offences for profit in Sør-Trøndelag and Troms than in 2005 (see figure).

Oslo contributes to more aggravated larceny

The number of aggravated larcenies in Oslo increased by 20 per cent from 2006 to 2007, whilst the total number in the rest of the country decreased by almost 9 per cent. The disruption of the previous declining trend for aggravated larceny in Oslo, is mainly due to an increase in the number of larceny from person in public places (from 8 000 to 10 600) - but also larcenies from means of transport, principally automobiles (from 4 400 to 5 200). Of all registered cases of aggravated larceny from a person in public place in Norway, three fourths were committed in Oslo. In addition, 1 400 of this type of larcenies were reported to the police after occurring abroad.

The increase in Oslo is the reason 2007 did not become another year of decline in the total number of aggravated larcenies in Norway. 4 100 fewer (5 per cent) simple or minor larcenies and 2 000 (14 per cent) thefts of motor vehicles contributed, however, to further decline in the total number of offences for profit reported to the police.

More physical violence and fewer threats

In 2007, 25 700 threats and other types of violent offences were reported to the police, approximately the same as in 2006. When population increase is taken into consideration, the extent of violent crime reported to the police has in total been relatively stable the last eight years (between 5.3 and 5.6 per 1 000 population).

The distribution by type of violent crime has, however, changed over the last years. This trend continued in 2007, when more than 3 per cent fewer threats and almost 2 per cent more cases of physical violence were reported compared to 2006. Almost 7 100 threats and 18 000 cases of physical violence - when we look at this type of ill-treatment in family relations, assaulting a public servant and crimes of violence against a person as a total - were reported last year (see figure). During the first full year of registration after the introduction of new legislation in 2006, a total of 940 cases of ill-treatment in family relations were reported.

In all the years there has been statistics on offences reported to the police, most violent offences have been committed in Oslo and Finnmark - while during the last three years Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane and Hedmark has had the fewest - when population figures in the counties are taken into consideration (see figure).

More rapes reported to the police

A total of 3 800 sexual offences were reported to the police in 2007, 6 per cent more than the previous year. Far more rapes are now reported to the police than before, and the 950 registered cases in 2007 is a growth of almost 13 per cent compared to the year before. The numbers of reported acts of sexually violating behaviour (820) and sexual acts with children under 16 years of age (340), are also larger than they have been in the 14 years with statistics on offences reported to the police. Compared to the 90’s, far more cases of sexual intercourse with children are reported to the police, but the 750 cases in 2007 are almost 8 per cent less than in 2006. The number of incest cases reported to the police has however not increased, and a correspondingly low number as in 2007 (75) occurred only in 1994.

Decrease in narcotics crime

After a rise from 2005 to 2006, the total number of narcotic offences reported to the police decreased to below 40 800 in 2007. The number is still above the level in the 2003-2005 period, when the annual average was 37 200. Possession of smaller quantities of narcotics (aligned by the Act relating to medicinal goods etc.) is down by 12 per cent compared to 2006, and contributes the most to the reduction of the total number of narcotic offences reported to the police. Use of narcotics and narcotic crimes by the Penal Code were reported to the police similarly to 2006. 1 300 cases of the most serious narcotic crimes were registered during 2007, somewhat more than in previous years.

¹Published first time 6.3.2008. Due to erroneous original data delivery from the National Police Computing and Material Service (PDMT), the statistics was corrected 16.5.2008.