Crime in Carinthia 2024: increase, but investigation at a record high!

Crime in Carinthia 2024: increase, but investigation at a record high!

The police annual balance sheet for 2024 in Carinthia shows a worrying development in crime, which has increased by 3.2% to a total of 26,398 crimes. This is 813 more crimes than in the previous year, when 25,585 offenses were registered. The statistics illustrate a complex picture of the security situation in the region. One bright spot is the increased clearance rate, which climbed to 61.6% - an increase of 2.3% compared to 2023, as gailtal-journal.at reported.

However, cybercrime, which had been steadily increasing over the past decade, saw a 3.5% decline in 2024. The number of reported offenses fell to 3,100, which indicates more successful prevention work and investigations. Internet fraud remains the most common type of crime in this context. Another positive aspect is that the clearance rate in this category has increased to 42.4%.

Violent and property crime

Violent crime in Carinthia is declining slightly. A total of 4,232 advertisements were registered, a decrease of 0.9% compared to the previous year. The decline in violence in the private sphere is particularly striking, with a decrease of 7.2%. Despite this, there are three completed murders, compared to two in 2023. There is also an increase in robbery crimes, which rose to 70, an increase of 12.

Property crime shows a mixed trend. While the total number of property crimes increased by 1.7% to 6,290, there was a decrease in burglaries by 12.9% to 276 crimes. This divergence could indicate more effective preventative measures by the police.

Drug crime and road safety

A worrying trend is the significant increase in drug-related crime, which rose by 15% to 2,676 offenses. Investigations show that drugs, especially heroin and cocaine, are smuggled into Carinthia via the Balkan route. Reports of drugs on the road have also increased significantly, with 319 cases in 2024, which explains the use of civilian and motorcycle patrols as well as numerous radar and laser checks.

In terms of road safety, there was a slight decrease in road deaths, falling from 30 in 2023 to 29 in 2024. There is an increased focus on drugs in traffic, which is also reflected in the number of reports for failure to maintain safety distances and speeding.

Personnel deployment and training

The staffing level of the Carinthia State Police Directorate remains unchanged at 2,504 employees, of which 2,247 work in law enforcement, including 580 women. 266 police students are currently being trained, and three additional basic training courses are being planned for 2025. A stable and well-trained workforce is crucial in order to meet the increasing challenges of combating crime.

The police crime statistics (PKS) show the development of criminal events in Austria and serve as a basis for strategic measures to combat crime. The PKS is continuously adapted to social phenomena and legal changes in order to be able to respond effectively to crime. Further information can be found on the website of Federal Criminal Police Office be read.