PSP has made more than 450 burglary and vehicle theft arrests in the past four years.

The Public Security Police (PSP) arrested 462 robbery and vehicle theft suspects between 2020 and 2023, according to data released this Monday by the security forces, indicating an upward trend in the number of arrests.

According to PSP data released to the media, 424 suspects were arrested on suspicion of theft, while the remaining 38 arrests were related to possible vehicle thefts (which are different from the crime of theft with violence).

In clarifications sent to Lusa, PSP said the number of arrests for these two crimes is increasing: 2023 was the year with the highest number of arrests since 2020, with 118 people detained on suspicion of theft and 14 for possible robbery in the last year.

Arrest data from 2020 to last year shows a steady increase in thefts and robberies. The 118 people arrested on suspicion of theft in 2023 is a very small increase from the 116 in 2022, but more significant than the 96 arrests in 2021 or the 94 arrests in 2020. Over the past year, arrests for robbery have increased almost five times. year (14) compared to 2020 (three), also higher than in 2022 (11) and 2021 (10).

In terms of vehicles, the National Motor Vehicle Crime Investigation Unit (UNICA) of the PSP reports that almost 20,000 vehicles have been stolen or stolen in the last four years, divided between 19,653 thefts and 330 robberies, for a total of 19,983.

Stolen or stolen vehicles are typically destined for “dismantling for parts, recycling, full removal” or vehicle cloning/fitting, PSP says, adding that thefts and robberies are down in 2023 conditions, but also for 2020, the first year with data available for this analysis.

Last year, a total of 4,501 thefts (4,424) and robberies (77) of light, heavy, agricultural/industrial vehicles and motorcycles were reported, and in 2022, 4,993 vehicles were stolen or stolen. The difference is even greater compared to the first year according to statistics, as a total of 5,615 vehicles were lost in 2020 (5,544 thefts and 71 robberies).

The preferred vehicle for this type of crime in 2023 was passenger cars, with 4,021 thefts (a priority that has remained consistent among stolen vehicles over the past four years), leaving behind motorcycles (381), industrial/agricultural vehicles (three ) or 19 heavy vehicles.

In the release, PSP also advised drivers to leave the vehicle parked “in a highly visible, well-lit, properly locked and secured area,” without valuables or identification inside and, if necessary, to keep them in the vehicle. , do this in closed compartments.