Israel’s crime rate rose last year by 4.3 percent, compared to a six percent rise in 1971 and a 9.5 percent rise in 1970, according to the annual Israel Police Report, issued at a news conference yesterday. The report revealed that murder was up by 17 percent and rape by 30 percent. There were 49 murders in 1972 compared to 31 the year before. There were 504 cases of rape last year. Armed robbery, one of the largest causes of public concern in recent years, dropped by 3.1 percent. There were 190 instances of robbery or attempted robbery in 1972.
White collar crime such as embezzlement and issuing bad checks rose by 30 percent with 5923 cases being recorded. There was a significant drop in the number of drug offenses reported, which was attributed to the declining availability of drugs in the country. The higher price of drugs has also been a factor in the decline, police said.
The decline of crime in the Tel Aviv area was attributed to the addition of border police units in the city. Police also reported success in curbing hooliganism in the big cities. Traffic fatalities declined by one percent, as compared to a 24 percent increase the year before. There were 661 fatalities in 1972. The number of traffic accidents rose by 3.7 percent, totalling 15,333.
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