Buenos Aires City is experiencing a worrying increase in crime, especially robberies and petty theft.
According to data compiled by researchers and informal records, collated by the Noticias Argentinas news agency, crime perpetrated by so-called ‘motochorros’ – motorbike thieves who snatch items from porteños – and home burglaries are also of increasing concern to residents in the capital.
According to the news agency’s information, both have experienced an increase of around 15 percent compared to the previous year.
Although there are no official figures yet published by the authorities to confirm the rise, general consensus among security researchers points to a significant increase in such crimes.
Looking across the districts of the capital, the popular Palermo neighbourhood – home to bars, restaurants and other attractions – has been particularly affected by this wave of robberies.
With more than 5,500 reports of robberies and thefts in the last year in the barrio, Palermo is the epicentre of crime concerns.
Other neighbourhoods such as Recoleta and Villa Devoto have also registered a considerable increase in crime, reported Noticias Argentinas,
Some experts put the rise in crime down to growing social inequality, exacerbated by the economic crisis, price increases, falling purchasing power and rising unemployment.
Increased mobility and the use of motorbikes also facilitate the commission of crimes such as motorbike thieves, according to experts.
The increase in burglaries is creating a general feeling of insecurity among residents, who are forced to take extra precautions to protect their belongings and their homes.
– TIMES/NA
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