Overall, crimes reported to the Police in 2024 totalled 94,747 cases, showing an increase of 4,471 (up 5%) compared with 2023 (90,276 cases). There were 10,485 cases of violent crimes, an increase of 363 cases (up 3.6%) compared with 2023 (10,122 cases).

Leaving deception cases aside, the overall crime figure recorded a drop of 185 cases in 2024, while the detection rate rose by 1.7 percentage points to 47.9%, indicating that the rise in deception cases was the main reason for the rise in the overall crime figure and a decline in the overall detection rate. The increase in violent crimes was primarily driven by ‘naked chat blackmail’.

For every 100,000 people, 1,259 cases were reported, of which 139 were classified as violent crime, compared with 1,198 and 134 cases respectively in 2023. Detection rates for overall and violent crimes dropped slightly by 0.7 and 0.4 percentage points to 30.4% and 51.7% respectively.

A number of traditional crimes such as homicide, robbery, burglary, wounding and serious assault, serious drug offences, theft, criminal damage, criminal intimidation and arson recorded declines. In 2024, the figures for these traditional crimes remained at comparatively low levels and quite a number of them even reached new lows not seen in years or on record, while their detection rates were considerably high as well, with some even reaching the highest levels on record.

The Force continues to focus on combating deception. Apart from strengthening preventive publicity and education, the Force has been promoting collaboration with relevant government departments and stakeholders via a multi-agency approach to formulate and mandate structural preventive measures, and to enhance intelligence-led enforcement action against deception.