New data published this week shows that the number of home burglaries reported to authorities increased by 16 percent across the state in the first two months of 2014.
The actual statewide figure of home break-ins for January and February of this year is 1,235 – up from 1,064 during the same months of 2013.
Authorities admit that the real figure is certainly higher, given that many people who are victims of home break-ins do not reported the incidents to police, especially if violence is not involved.Total crimes reported
According to data from the Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública, 15,137 crimes were reported to Jalisco Ministerio Publico offices in January and February – 337 more than last year. That translates into 261 denuncias (complaints) each day, or one every 5.5 minutes.
This number appears low when compared to the general perception regarding the scale of criminal activity in Mexico. Crimes reported annually in the United States total around 12 million, indicating that a crime north of the border is committed every 2.5 seconds. Mexico has approximately one-third of the population of the United States, suggesting that a crime here is likely to be committed once every seven or eight seconds.