2023 has witnessed a sharp rise in criminal activity on the island of Fuerteventura, according to data released by the Ministry del Interior for the first three quarters of the year. Between January and the end of September, a total of 5,278 criminal complaints (denuncias) were processed across the six municipalities of the island, predominantly handled by the Guardia Civil and the National Police. This represents a notable increase of 20.2% compared to the same period in 2022.
The municipality of Pájara stands out with the highest incidence of the crime spike, processing 950 complaints in the first nine months, including those related to cybercrime. This marks a substantial increase of 37.1%.
In contrast, the municipality of La Oliva displays a relatively lower percentage increase in criminal cases for 2023, with an uptick of 10.3% evident in the processing of 1,462 files.
Puerto del Rosario occupies an intermediate position, with a percentage increase close to the island average. During the first three quarters, a total of 1,857 criminal complaints were processed in the capital, reflecting an increase of 19.4%.
Analysing the remaining municipalities, the official report indicates that between Betancuria, Antigua, and Tuineje, a total of 1,009 criminal complaints were processed from January 1 to September 30, marking a significant rise of 23.5% compared to the previous year.
Notably, Fuerteventura has seen no violent deaths reported so far this year, a trend that appears to be consistent with the situation during the first nine months of 2022. Kidnappings, too, remain at zero, aligning with the statistics from the previous year.
Consistent with previous years, theft continues to be the most prevalent crime in 2023, accounting for no less than 1,288 cases according to ministerial estimates, indicating a percentage increase of 28.8%.
In the category of sexual crimes, there has been a noteworthy decrease in 2023. Despite the concerning situation in Pájara, where such crimes are on the rise, the overall island-wide trend reflects a reduction of 23.6%, with a total of 42 complaints reported in the first nine months.