Lübeck: Crime reduced by 40% - Is the city safer now?

Lübeck: Crime reduced by 40% - Is the city safer now?

The crime situation in Lübeck has improved significantly in recent decades. As the Lübeck news report that the number of crimes has fallen by an impressive 40.6 percent since 1995. While crime in Lübeck appears objectively safer than ever, it turns out that citizens' sense of security, especially among young women, follows a different trend.

In 2022, the Lübeck police registered 20,994 crimes, which corresponds to a decrease of 6.74% compared to the previous year. A look at the past makes this positive development clear: in 1995 the number of crimes was 37,359, the highest in the city's history. In recent years, thefts in particular have decreased significantly, which is a main reason for improving security. The number of thefts fell from 19,952 in 1995 to 7,692 in 2024, a reduction of 64.9%.

Still fears in everyday life

Despite these positive figures, the Lübeck FDP warned of a significant deterioration in the population's sense of security. Young women are particularly affected, as they often feel inappropriately spoken to or harassed. The city has also identified 26 fear spaces in which citizens feel unsafe. This discrepancy between statistics and subjective feelings of security is not new. According to a study by the DIW A long-term trend is evident: While crime is declining overall, the social fear of crime is increasing among the population.

The Lübeck Police Department draws a mixed conclusion for 2024: While the number of crimes in Lübeck has fallen, Ostholstein is recording an increase. There were approximately 33,400 crimes across the county, with theft accounting for more than a third of all crimes. It should also not be forgotten that the number of drug-related crimes has also decreased due to new legal regulations involving cannabis.

Part of the solution – prevention measures

To counteract the feeling of insecurity, the city of Lübeck is taking preventative measures. Urban development projects and police presence are intended to strengthen the feeling of security among the population. However, it remains a challenge to sustainably promote trust in the safety of one's own environment. The police assesses the security situation in the region as positive overall, but the reality seems to be different, especially for young women.

The numbers show that Lübeck is actually safer today than it was 30 years ago, but they do not affect the subjective feelings of citizens. The city wants to use various approaches to ensure that all Lübeck residents, regardless of their age or gender, can feel comfortable and safe in their city.