Sofia, December 15 (BTA) - Interior Ministry data show a steady downward trend in crime between January and November 2021 when crime dropped by 8 per cent from a year earlier. At the same time, the clearance rate rose by 3 per cent to 46 per cent this year, the Ministry said on Wednesday.

At 31 per cent, the decrease is most tangible for motor vehicle theft, of which 282 cases were reported in 2021 as against 411 in 2020.

Robberies dropped by 21 per cent to 772 in the first 11 months of 2021 from 974 a year earlier. Furthermore, thefts dropped by nearly 14 per cent. Drug-related crimes were down by 3.4 per cent and the clearance rate was nearly 75 per cent, up by 7.5 percentage points from a year earlier.

While the reported murders increased by 21 from January-November 2020, the clearance rate was nearly 100 per cent this year. RY/DD