Fewer crimes were reported in the Algarve in 2018. According to the annual internal safety report, a total of 21,860 crimes were recorded in the region last year, down 227 on 2017 (-0.9%).
In the category of “general crimes”, data shows that the number of pickpocket robberies fell 22% while the number of drivers caught drink driving decreased 16.3%, despite still being the most frequent crime in the Algarve.
However, there was an increase in reports of cybercrime (+15.1%) and counterfeiting (+16.6%).
There was also a 7.4% drop in the number of violent and serious crimes committed in the Algarve – in other words, police in the Algarve registered 73 fewer crimes of this kind.
Robberies in public areas remain the most common crime of this kind despite an 8.2% drop. On a less positive note, 14 petrol stations were robbed in 2018, a 55.6% increase on 2017.
Loulé was the municipality where most crimes were reported (3,661), followed by Albufeira (3,139) and Faro (3,038). Alcoutim, one of the least populated boroughs in the Algarve, stands out as the municipality with the fewest crimes – just 105.
