Although crime in the French capital has decreased recently, it is still “structurally high,” according to Laurent Nuez, prefect of the Paris police.
While he added that the situation was still not “positive,” Nuez stated in the Journal of Sunday that crime in Paris and the surrounding suburbs had decreased over the previous six months.
Domestic violence incidents and burglaries both increased at the same time.
According to Nuez, who was appointed in July 2022, property damage decreased by 2% in the suburbs and 5% in the city centre, while violent thefts declined by 20% outside of Paris and 25% inside.
He attributed these decreases to the addition of officers to the capital’s busier and higher-crime areas, including metro stations and popular tourist destinations.
A “structurally high level of crime in the Paris region did not allow us to speak of a generally positive situation,” the prefect stated.
The area of Paris beyond the infamous circular motorway saw an increase in break-ins of 5.3%, while the centre saw an 8.8% increase.
The prefect added that other issues like domestic violence and violent crime are becoming more prevalent.
According to Secretary of State Christophe Castaner, the rise in crime in the French capital has been “slowed down” by police.
When he arrived, “we were at [an increase of] +30%,” he claimed.
