The Public Order and Internal Security Situation in the Regions of the Czech Republic in 2000

Contents  

Development of Crime in 1998 - 2000

Crimes

Crime in districts

In 2000, a total of 45,463 crimes were documented, which represents a decrease in total crimes of 12.9% compared with 1999, in Central Bohemia. 19,477 crimes were solved i.e. the number of crime fell down by 21.4 % compared with 1999. The highest numbers of crimes within Central Bohemia were recorded in the districts of Mladá Boleslav, Kladno and Prague-východ, which is reflected in the lower detection rate.

The security situation in Central Bohemia is affected by several permanent factors, which relate mainly to its position within the Czech Republic:

• The position of Central Bohemia is closely and specifically adjacent to the territory of the capital City of Prague and crime is being forced out to Central Bohemia.
• The most dense traffic network within the Czech Republic – car, bus and railway traffic related to the great movement of persons.
• The most frequently used highway network that is the transit region for the Eastern and Western parts of the Czech Republic.
• The highest number of private recreational facilities in the Czech Republic.
• Many cultural monuments, religious sites, park reservations and karst formations.
• Great fluctuation of persons, in particular foreigners working mainly in the Capital City of Prague.
• Expanded network of markets, bazaars, pawnshops and related movement of dealers and other persons.
• High volume of family houses and markets under construction.
• Increasing unemployment.
• Dislocation of air bases of aero clubs.

Foreigners are mainly involved in crimes against property, economic crimes and violent crimes committed by inhabitants from the Slovak Republic and the former USSR. They are mainly foreigners who permanently reside or who have a long-term stay visa for more than 90 days.

Juvenile delinquency is characterised by crimes against property – burglaries of various facilities, theft of cars and articles from cars, which for young people is the only source of financial funds to buy narcotics.

The Police carried out various actions in the area of illegal migration, e.g. inspection of hostels for foreigners; the knowledge gathered through the Labour Office is operatively applied by the Criminal Police in cases of the illegal employment of foreigners. The transit route for refugees heading for Germany passes through the territory of Central Bohemia, which is well organised and has a strong background. In 2000 there were several cases that in the case of any activity of the Police, migrants were left in any place of the territory of this region and were properly instructed on how to proceed in the case of conflict with the Police with the aim of receiving refugee status. Withheld foreigners are then placed in refugee camps where they again try to organise a crossing of the national border into Germany.

There is a low age level of addicts in Central Bohemia, including so-called ”first-consumers” who start directly with hard drugs. The highest number of crimes related to the drug issue was recorded in the district of Kladno where the Police investigated a case of the wide production and distribution of pervitin. Other ascertained cases were in the districts of Benešov, Beroun, Prague-západ and Nymburk. In the districts of Kolín, Prague-západ and Mladá Boleslav the distribution of heroin was discovered which had been brought there from Prague. In the integrated secondary school of the district of Kolín there were three cases of the distribution of marihuana, heroin and pervitin. The sale of so-called ”discotheque drugs LSD and ecstasy” was ascertained in the districts of Kolín, Kutná Hora and Mladá Boleslav. The inhalation of volatile substances was recorded in the districts of Prague-východ, Rakovník, Benešov and Příbram.

There was an increase in crime of an extremist nature in the territory of Central Bohemia compared to 1999. Several protest events initiated by left-wing extremists against Fascism, racism and non-tolerance were organised in this region in the districts of Mladá Boleslav, Kladno, Mělník, Prague-západ, Prague-východ, Nymburk. Promoters of right-wing extremists want to join together as groups or civil associations, such as the National Alliance, Defence of the Nation and want to be registered as political parties. In the Central Bohemian Region events of extremist movements were most frequently organised in the district of Rakovník.

The detection rate of crimes against property reached only 23 %. This is mainly influenced by the relatively high number of burglaries, even though was a decrease of 14.6 %. A reduction of 4% was reported for common thefts.

The highest number of house burglaries occurred in the districts of Příbram, Kladno and Mladá Boleslav. Recently, there has been an increase of burglaries from family houses under construction and reconstructed family houses mainly in the districts of Prague-západ and Prague-východ. The criminal offenders are mainly interested in building, water-insulation and electric-insulation materials, regulation equipment for heating, bathroom equipment, etc. The highest number of burglaries from recreational facilities was recorded in the districts of Prague-východ, Prague-západ and Benešov. In 2000, 19 series of burglaries from recreational facilities were solved in the Central Bohemian region. These cases were recorded mainly in the districts of Prague-západ, Prague-východ and Beroun.

In 2000, a total of 114 cases of burglaries from cultural and religious facilities were recorded. The total damage was CZK 22,333,000. The highest number of cases was reported in the districts of Mělník, Mladá Boleslav and Nymburk. The highest damage of CZK 4,060,000 was caused by criminals in the district of Kolín by a burglary of the church in the village of Rásochy (one altar was found with a dealer in the district of Mělník).

In the Central Bohemian region 2,194 vehicles were stolen and the detection rate was only 14.4%. The highest number of cases was recorded in the districts of Mladá Boleslav, Prague-východ, Praha-západ, Kolín and Kladno. The total damage was CZK 440 million. During the same period there were 4,786 thefts from cars with a detection rate of 8.5 %.

A new trend in this area is theft of building machines the value of which varies from CZK 1 million to CZK 4 million. The advantage for criminals is the absence of a registration number and the fact that the machines are not registered. The identity of the machine (serial number of the machine, engine and gears) can only be found from the databases of exclusive representatives for the Czech Republic.

In 2000, 4,607 economic crimes were solved which represents a detection rate of 97.96 %. It is possible to specify the following types on the basis of an analysis of economic crimes:

• fraudulent purchases of goods without payment on the basis of the submission of false documents;
• purchases without payments with the aim of re-selling these goods but not paying for them;
• purchase of goods by firms in debt, the sale of these firms to fictitious subjects;
• purchase of goods of interesting commodities, such as cigarettes and alcohol, declared for export;
• illegal import of goods from abroad without payment of legally stated fees;
• additional tax and taxes;
• loan frauds and drawing of loans in variance with loan contracts;
• fictitious ”crimes” against property, thefts, fire, leasing contracts with subsequent application of insurance events;
• insurance frauds in all areas of private business;
• crimes in the area of the protection of copyrights, in particular audio-visual and software piracy and registered trademarks;
• one of the most frequent forms of tax crime is the unauthorised application of VAT deduction.

The theft of trucks containing interesting goods is another form of economic crime. Criminals are equipped with false documents and state that the goods were purchased in good faith and even after it has been proved that the goods were acquired by criminal activity, the goods remain in their competence. The Police may not confiscate goods or suspend their distribution.

In 2000 there was an increase in violent crimes, in particular murders; there were 67 murders. This represents an increase of 97%, despite this fact 50 of them were solved which is 74.6 %. Ascertaining the identity of victims is a great problem, in most cases the victims are foreigners and the scene of the crime is not the same as the place where the body is found, etc.

When investigating fires and explosions the victims are not interested in collaborating with the Police. In cases of fire the Police have recorded efforts to gain unauthorised insurance payments. There are cases where the fire is established intentionally to settle accounts between entrepreneurs. Aggrieved parties often keep silent about their management problems; they try to liquidate non-tradable goods, etc.

In comparison with 1999, there was an increase in cases of the installation of timed explosive devices (booby traps), the motive of these crimes is to settle accounts between entrepreneurs. A very serious case of this type occurred in the territory of Central Bohemia where a times explosive devices was installed on the railway between the railway stations Radotín - Černošice, district of Prague - západ; the object of this action of an unknown criminal offender was to threaten personal railway transport. This case is similar to the detonation of an explosive device in the cadastre territory of Cítov a Vraňany, district of Mělník in 1999.

Moral crimes decreased considerably by 47.3 % compared to 1999. In the cases of sexual assault some age groups of victims are more vulnerable, including boys between 12-15. In approximately 2/3 of cases these crimes are committed by strangers (i.e. not a member of a family). The highest number of rapes occurred in the districts of Kladno, Mělník and Příbram. Street prostitution is spreading at the highway car park at Rudná u Prahy.

In 2000, there was a slight decrease in the number of traffic accidents. This resulted in a decrease in the number of fatal accidents or accidents with serious injuries but, on the contrary, there was an increase in the number of persons suffering minor injuries and material damage. On the highways of Central Bohemia 12 persons (-1) were killed, on other roads outside of towns there was a decrease in the number of traffic accidents (-761), as well as a decrease in the number of persons killed (-10) and seriously injured persons (-38). On the contrary, a negative development of traffic accidents in towns was recorded where there were 12,993 traffic accidents (+236). In these accidents 49 were killed (+1) and the number of injured persons also increased. 297 (+3) people were seriously injured and 1,345 (+97) persons suffered minor injured.

The main reason for traffic accidents is the manner of driving which was recorded in 14,798 cases (-408), after this it is the speed of driving; 3,026 cases (-228). Not giving priority when driving caused 2,447 traffic accidents (-36) and overtaking caused 599 traffic accidents (-29). In 1,058 cases (+59) the reason was the use of alcohol before driving.

Central Bohemia - Development of Crime in 1999 and 2000 and the Year-to-Year Change in Development

Central Bohemia - Development of Crime in Districts in 1999 - 2000