Crime rate down in Brussels

According to the latest crime figures, the City of Brussels is becoming safer. The 2013 Annual Report of the Brussels-Ixelles police department shows a significant decrease in the incidence of crime between 2009, the year the new zonal security plan was launched, and 2013.

The number of armed robberies in the city decreased by 64% in that period, with the total number of offenses falling from 191 in 2009 to 69 in 2013. Similarly, the number of bag thefts in the city decreased by 83%, from 456 cases in 2009 to 79 in 2013. The number of carjackings dropped by 46% since 2009, despite a slight increase in 2011.

The report was not all good news, however. Home burglaries have remained relatively stable, at 4,358 cases in 2013. There was a significant increase in the number of offenses for noise nuisance (589 in 2009 compared to 1,513 in 2013) and public cleanliness (331 in 2009 compared to 1,047 in 2013).