International Journal on Criminology Volume 3, Number 1, Spring 2015 | Page 45

International Journal on Criminology
Annual series can be constituted back to 2001 using data posted online, knowing that
the number of thefts from vehicles for 2012 was indicated not to be comparable with that of
2011 in the report Police Crime Statistics 2012—Federal Republic of Germany.
In France, the reported motor-vehicle-related crimes are composed of “automobile
thefts,” “thefts from automobiles,” “theft of accessories from registered motor vehicles,” and
“thefts of two-wheeled motor vehicles.”
In the three countries, the crime rates for “motor-vehicle-related thefts” recorded by the
police dropped sharply between 2001 and 2011: it dropped 51 points in Belgium (2008=100),
76 points in Germany, and even more than 100 points in metropolitan France (Graph 2).
In 10 years, the rate of vols de voiture and vols dans ou sur véhicule recorded per 1,000
inhabitants was reduced by a third in Belgium. Motor vehicle theft and theft from vehicles fell
by almost half in Germany. And the rate of reported cases of motor-vehicle-related thefts in
metropolitan France fell by more than 54%.
In France and in Germany, approximately 85% of the variation described took place
between 2001 and 2008. This proportion is situated at 72% for Belgium. Then, between 2008
and 2011, the intensity of the drop observed in the three countries was on the same order
of magnitude: −14.2 points in Belgium over these three years (2008=100), −11.6 points in
Germany, and −15.1 points in metropolitan France.
Graph 2. Evolution for crime rates recorded by the police per 1,000 inhabitants for thefts related to
motor vehicles in metropolitan France, for automobile thefts and theft from vehicles in Belgium, and
for Diebstahl von/in/aus Kraftfahrzeugen in Germany (2008=100)(2008=100)
186.5
180.0
170.7
160.0
140.0
136.8
120.0
100.0
80.0
100.0 88.4
85.8
84.9
60.0
In %
of the 2008
annual rate
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Germany, Diebstahl von/in/aus Kraftfahrzeugen recorded per thousand inhabitants (Base 100 year 2008)
Belgium, Vols de voiture and Vols dans ou sur un véhicule recorded per thousand inhabitants (Base 100 year 2008)
France, Vols liés aux véhicules à moteur recorded per thousand inhabitants (Base 100 year 2008)
Sources: DCPJ, INSEE, France; Police Fédérale, Statbel, Belgium; Bundeskriminalamt, Statistisches Bundesamt,
Germany
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