7,287 theft cases in 10 months

During the first 10 months of 2011, Police received 7,287 theft reports, marking an average of some 730 cases of theft per month.

Justice Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici revealed the information in Parliament this evening.

According to the information tabled, the highest number of cases reported in the first 10 months of each year was in 2005 and amounted to 9,613 - followed by 2004 with 9,468 cases and 2006 with 8,484 cases.

Since 2004, the quietest year was 2009, when the number of reported cases made went down to 5,914.

However, the consecutive years registered an increase, with 2010 reaching 6,483 reported cases and 2011 spiking to 7,287.

2007 saw 7,596 cases, while 2008 registered 6,973 theft cases.

During the last seven years, August 2004 registered the highest number of reported theft cases (1,301), followed closely by August 2005 (1,296) and July 2004 (1,268).

According to the statistics, the quietest month was April 2009, when Police received a total of 469 theft reports.