The increased detection of cybercrimes worsened the increase of criminality by 5% in the first quarter of 2024 in the islands

From January to March, almost 3,500 criminal offenses committed by computer means were reported, which is 36% more than a year ago

From January to March, the greatest detection of crimes committed by computer means was the overall increase in crime in Balears by around 5% compared to the same period in 2023. In particular, almost 3,500 criminal offenses related to cybercrime were reported, mostly scams, which represent 36% more than last year at this time.

In general terms, the rest of the typologies decreased, especially crimes against sexual freedom, of which 9.6% fewer complaints were registered, as well as vehicle theft and theft - in the latter case, the decrease is 7.5%. Especially noteworthy is the reduction in the number of robberies on agricultural or livestock farms, which reaches its minimum of the last four years, with 12 complaints.

On the contrary, there was a sharp increase in complaints of drug trafficking, which almost doubled compared to the first quarter of last year, with a total of 133 in 2024. In this period, the Security Forces and Corps recorded 16,376 crimes in the Balears, according to the balance sheet that can be consulted in this link of the Ministry of the Interior website.

Floating population

The crime rate in the archipelago stands at 66 crimes per thousand inhabitants, an indicator that does not reflect the existence of a significant floating population, given that this study only takes into account the registered inhabitants. Even so, it remains below the average values recorded before the pandemic; in 2020 i 2021 crime was reduced to rates of 51 i 52 crimes per thousand inhabitants, respectively, due to the effect of confinements and mobility restrictions, while in 2019 this rate approached 68 crimes per thousand inhabitants.

On the other hand, in the first three months of the year the rate of people arrested and investigated was 255 - fifteen points more than last year - and the degree of clarification of the cases exceeded 41%.

By islands, the crime rate for the first quarter in Mallorca is 66 infractions; in Ibiza it is 79; in Menorca it is 46.7 and in Formentera it amounts to 59.4 infractions per thousand people registered.

By municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants, the rate remains unchanged in Ibiza (87.5) and Calvià (92) and falls in Alcúdia and Ciutadella, with rates of 69 and 57.6 cases per thousand residents registered, respectively. In the rest, increases of various magnitude occur. In Palma, this rise is just under four tenths and there are almost 83 crimes for every thousand inhabitants.