The latest crime report released by the Ministry of Interior presents Alicante as experiencing a general rise in several offense categories, notably offenses against persons, injuries, violent robberies, and sexual crimes. The data indicate that the total number of offenses in the first quarter increased by 27.5% compared to the same period in 2021. Specifically, there were 16,124 crimes in 2021, rising to 20,556 in the first quarter of the following year.
What might look like a sharp jump in crime in both the nation and the broader region is influenced by lingering restrictions from the pandemic era. To form a more grounded comparison, it would be prudent to examine crime figures from 2019. In that baseline year, the province registered 20,708 offenses between January and March, which would suggest a relatively modest shift when viewed against the 2022 first-quarter figures.
The most pronounced increases by offense type were in intentional and completed homicides, and in injuries and violent confrontations, with growth rates approaching twofold or more. The balance sheet from internal security indicates that five crimes were recorded in Alicante during the first quarter of the current year, whereas the same period a year earlier reported none. Conversely, offenses involving injuries and fighting jumped from 104 to 231 according to the review by the security authorities.
Crimes against sexual freedom continued to rise, with 209 cases reported, a 45.1% increase from 2021. Within this category, sexual assaults including rape grew from 18 cases to 34, an increase of 88.9%. The Home Office attributes this rise to heightened social awareness campaigns that encourage victims to come forward and report offenses, which helps reduce under-reporting in these crimes. This trend reflects improved reporting and cooperation with law enforcement.
Violent and intimidation robberies show a significant uptick, while simple thefts increased by more than half, totaling 4,768 complaints. Burglary, especially in the home, rose by 12.6% with 1,379 more offenses, and vehicle theft rose marginally by 2.1% with 239 additional cases. The quarterly Home Affairs review emphasizes the geographic concentration of growth within municipalities over 20,000 inhabitants and identifies several urban centers as focal points of change.
Among the municipalities, Benidorm, Xàbia, and Calp reported the steepest increases, with growth rates of 64.8%, 60.7%, and 54.2% respectively. Yet, when compared to the pre-pandemic period, the picture is less negative. For example, Benidorm registered 1,213 crimes in 2019, which is 356 fewer than the current year’s quarter, suggesting a return to normalcy as tourism resumes. In contrast, Mutxamel and Eldau showed more modest changes at 1.7% and 4.5% respectively.
Across the Valencian Community, crime rose by 30.4% in the first quarter. In Alicante, the province of Castellón saw an increase of 16.8%, while Valencia province experienced a larger uptick of 34.7%.
The JUPOL union has asked the Government Delegation to clarify whether police personnel will be on vacation during periods of rising crime and has urged the expansion of the police jobs catalog to meet demand. (Source attribution: internal security reporting from the Home Office and related provincial audits.)