- The total number of crimes decreased last year by 18%, 351 fewer criminal offenses in 12 months, an average of nearly 30 fewer offenses per month
- Among those who have dropped the most, burglaries in homes and establishments that fall by 61%, while burglaries with violence or intimidation shrink by almost 36%
- If we only count conventional crime, excluding cybercrime, crimes have dropped by 30.7% in Galapagar
Galapagar’s crime rate has dropped 12.4 points from 2019 to 2022: from 59.5 crimes per 1,000 inhabitants to the current 47.1, a drop of 20.84%. This crime rate is 12.6 points below the Community of Madrid average (59.7), making Galapagar one of the safest cities in the region. These are some of the data offered by the delegate of the Government in the Community of Madrid, Mercedes González, during her speech at the Local Security Board, which she chaired together with the mayor of the municipality, Alberto Gómez Martín. The session was also attended by the Lieutenant Colonel Chief of Operations of the Civil Guard in Madrid, Carlos Alonso, in addition to the municipal representatives and the Community of Madrid.
A safe city
Throughout 2022, crime fell in Galapagar compared to 2019, the last year of unrestricted normality, in a remarkable way. The total number of crimes has been reduced by 18.39%, 351 fewer criminal offenses in 12 months, an average of almost 30 fewer offenses per month.
If we only count conventional crime, excluding cybercrime, crimes have dropped by 30.7% in Galapagar. Criminal acts committed online generate less social alarm, their victims are not at risk for their physical integrity and criminals can live anywhere in the world, making them much more difficult to pursue.
Some of the crimes that generate the most social alarm, such as those against heritage, have fallen even more appreciably, by 33.76%. In total numbers, it is 522 robberies less than in 2019 (43 less per month). And among those who have descended the most, robberies with force in homes, establishments and other facilities, which have collapsed by 61.5%. Robberies with violence or intimidation have fallen by 35.7% and thefts by 15.6%.
Positive trend in 2023
This trend, one of the most favorable of the entire Community of Madrid in the cities of more than 30,000 inhabitants, continues along the same positive path in the first months of 2023. In January and February 2023, criminal offences fell by 14.97% compared to January and February 2022. The fall in criminal offences against property in 2023 is even greater: 28.04%.
At the same time that criminal activity has decreased, police effectiveness has increased. In the first months of 2023, 42.8% of the total reported crimes were clarified, which is 10.83 points more than in 2022 (31.97%).
Violent youth bands
Galapagar is one of the two cities within the Civil Guard demarcation in the Community of Madrid where violent youth gangs are detected. After the coup by the Civil Guard against a group belonging to the Latin Kings, their criminal activity has been considerably reduced.
On February 14, the Civil Guard detained 16 people, one of them minors, belonging to the Latin King group. Half of this group was based in Galapagar and most were part of the leadership of this organization.
Since the persons under investigation are now at liberty with precautionary measures, the Civil Guard continues to carry out intensive tasks of prevention, patrolling, identification and specific monitoring of the situation of the gangs in the municipality. The main objective of this plan is to detect and, if necessary, prevent the reactivation of the criminal activities of this violent youth group.
Audio from the Government Delegate