01 December 2022 – dpa
The number of robbery offenses committed by young people has risen sharply in Dresden. That’s why the police set up a special commission. Since the beginning of the year, a total of 113 robbery offenses involving suspected juvenile perpetrators have been recorded, police chief Lutz Rodig said in Dresden on Thursday. Compared to the years 2018 to 2020, the number has thus doubled; even tripled compared to the previous year.
The “Iuventus” special commission is made up of 15 investigators and should allow for more effective treatment of cases, according to the police. The crimes, which young people mostly committed in groups, were widespread throughout the city and took place mainly in the evening hours after 5pm, with particular frequency on Fridays and Saturdays.
The victims of these crimes are mostly young people who are threatened with violence and asked to hand over mobile phones, headphones or music boxes. The perpetrators are often armed with weapons such as batons, brass knuckles or knives.
So far, 87 suspects have been identified, including serious offenders. More than half of them have German citizenship. The overall assessment of security in Dresden is still positive: “Dresden is – especially compared to other large German cities – a very safe city,” said the police chief.
