In 2024, the Metropolitan region Santiago has seen an alarming increase in robberies with violence, according to the recent report by Corpa Estudios de Mercado. This study, which covers the period from May to June 2024, reveals that 53% of robberies in the region are carried out with violence. This figure is the highest recorded since the beginning of the measurements in October 2022, indicating a worrying upward trend in crime since September of last year.
The increase in the violence This is particularly noticeable in crimes against women. Compared to the previous measurement from March-April 2024, violence against women has increased from 40% to 56%. Pavel Castillo, Intelligence Manager at CORPA, expressed his concern about this data, calling current security policies a failure. According to Castillo, it is unacceptable that one in five households in the Metropolitan Region is the victim of a crime every month, and that more than half of these crimes are violent, which puts the population at serious risk.
Analyzing the data by socioeconomic segments, it is observed that the violence The rate of robberies has doubled in the ABC1 group, from 22% in November 2023 to 44% in the current period. However, the most affected segment is the C3D, i.e. the lower middle class, where 56% of robberies involve violence. This group has experienced a steady increase in violent crime since September last year, reflecting growing insecurity in their communities.
The report also highlights that 22% of the residents of the Metropolitan region have been victims of robbery or attempted robbery in the last recorded period, a figure that has remained constant since the previous measurement. However, robberies on public transport have increased significantly, from 14% in January 2024 to 25% in May-June of the same year. This trend has contributed to 49% of respondents considering that living in Santiago is much less safe than the previous month.
The situation is aggravated by the increase in kidnappings in the country. A report by the National Prosecutor’s Office shows a 136% increase in the last decade, driven mainly by organized crime. The Metropolitan Regional Prosecutor’s Office in the North Center registers the highest number of cases, followed by the Metropolitan Regional Prosecutor’s Office in the South and Valparaíso. This increase in kidnappings reflects a dangerous expansion of organized criminal activities in Chile.
