Crime at German railway stations and on trains increased significantly in 2024. According to Bild, the Federal Police's annual report states that more than a thousand crimes are committed every day in these areas, representing a total of 381,894 illegal acts.
Although the total number of crimes fell by 10.1 percent year-on-year, more serious forms of crime, on the contrary, are increasing dramatically.
The most significant increase is in sexual offenses, up by 19.2 percent. The Federal Police recorded 2,262 such cases, which corresponds to an average of six incidents per day. More than half of these cases involved sexual harassment, but there was also an increase in cases of rape and child abuse.
In addition, the number of violent crimes also rose. There were a total of 27,160 cases, representing an increase of 5.9 percent compared to 2023. More than 16,000 cases involved physical assaults, with knives used in hundreds of them.
Attacks on railway police officers have also increased significantly. This represents a year-on-year increase of 10.2 percent, meaning that up to six police officers are injured every day. Attackers often use physical force, spitting, punching, kicking, biting, or hitting with objects such as bottles and stones.
The report notes that violence is not limited to large cities. Smaller stations and rural areas are also affected, which, according to the police, negatively affects passengers' sense of security. A tragic example of increasing violence is the case of a 27-year-old man from Frankfurt's main station who was shot dead by a group of people on the platform in front of passersby.
The authorities are also responding to the deteriorating situation. They are introducing bans on carrying knives, and the Federal Police have expanded CCTV surveillance. Currently, 143 stations are equipped with security cameras, with a total of 11,000 devices, which is almost double the number in 2012.
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