MOSCOW. Jan 20 (Interfax) - The number of crimes in the sphere of IT went up 73.4% in 2020, which affected the total amount of grave crimes and increased their number by 14%, the Russian Interior Ministry said.
"The total number of crimes registered in the country went up by one percent, and the number of grave and especially grave [crimes] went up 14%. This increase in the number of grave crimes in 2020 was mostly influenced by an increase in the number of criminal actions in this category committed using information and communications technologies," a report posted on the Interior Ministry website said.
In 2020, the number of crimes committed using information and telecommunications technologies went up 73.4%, of which 91.3% were committed using the Internet and 88.3% were committed using mobile communications devices, the report said.
The Interior Ministry also recorded a decrease in the number of crimes committed while under the influence of narcotics and alcohol: their number decreased by 14.7% and 2.5%, respectively. The number of crimes involving migrant workers also decreased: the number of crimes committed in Russia by migrant workers decreased by 1.5%, and the number of crimes against migrant workers decreased by 4.5%.
The number of household crimes decreased by 9.5%. "The number of instances of deliberate infliction of grievous bodily harm decreased by 15.8%, [the number of instances of infliction of] medium-gravity harm decreased by 13.5%, and [the number of instances of infliction of] light bodily harm [decreased] by ten percent," the report said.
According to the statistics, public places became safer in 2020. "Street crime declined. The number of crimes registered on streets, squares, in parks, and in public gardens decreased by 9.9%, including a 24.8% decrease in the number of robberies, an 18.5% decrease in theft, and a 23.3% decrease in instances of assault," it said
The number of illegal actions registered on transport decreased by 7.3%, including a 7.1% decrease in the number of grave and especially grave crimes.
The number of instances of assault decreased by 21.7%, the number of car thefts decreased by 27.1%, and the number of crimes against people decreased by 5.1%. The number of murders and attempted murders decreased by 3.2%, and the number of instances of deliberate infliction of grievous bodily harm decreased by 6.7%. The number of robberies decreased by 16.2%, the total number of instances of theft decreased by three percent, including a 22.6% decrease in apartment burglaries and a 27.1% decrease in the number of stolen vehicles.
The number of citizens killed in criminal encroachments decreased by 5.2%. The number of people to whom grievous bodily harm was inflicted decreased by 6.9% in 2020.
According to the ministry, the statistics confirm the effectiveness of the preventative work done by the police with minors. "The number of crimes committed by them or involving them decreased by 9.1% in 2020," the police said.