In Halle in particular, the problem of delinquent youth gangs occupies the security authorities. In recent years, crimes committed by youth groups have recently decreased.

Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - The number of police-recorded gang crimes by young people in Saxony-Anhalt has tended to decrease in recent years. According to the State Criminal Police Office, 1,800 crimes involving groups of young people were committed in the previous year. In 2019, the number was significantly higher at around 2100. One of the largest areas of crime was theft. According to police statistics, the crimes committed by groups of young people decreased between 2019 and 2021. Crude crimes such as robbery and assault have also declined over the past three years.

The problem of youth and gang crime in Halle, which has increased in recent months, is only reflected to a limited extent in the police statistics. In 2019, around 290 crimes were committed by groups of young people in Halle. Last year there were almost 280. However, a look at the crime fields shows that the number of crude crimes by youth groups in the city rose from 87 in 2019 to 106 last year. The number of thefts fell significantly.

According to the LKA, the overall decrease in criminal offenses reported in 2021 can also be linked to the corona pandemic. The main reason may have been fewer crime opportunities. "There is a tendency for the number of cases to increase again in 2022 compared to 2021," said a spokeswoman for the LKA.

The statistics have weaknesses: the police point out that only resolved cases are included in the statistics. According to the spokeswoman, it is only in these cases that the suspects can be assigned by age and whether the suspects acted in a group. There is a considerable number of unreported cases, particularly in the area of ​​property crime.