The full-year 2020 statistics from the police indicate a year-on-year decrease in cases in a number of categories of reported crime, showing that Macao remains a secure and safe city.

The tally of all suspected crime cases reported in Macao in 2020 saw a 29.1-percent decrease year-on-year to 10,057 instances, according to the police-enforcement statistics published today.

Nonetheless, the security authorities remain highly vigilant regarding any negative impact on social order and will make the necessary arrangements – in a timely way – to optimise anti-epidemic measures, while keeping an eye on other factors that could eventually create uncertainty in the community. That is in order to maintain Macao’s safe environment, stability and prosperity.

According to the public security statistics, all forms of violent crime recorded in 2020 a significant decrease in cases, namely by 63.9 percent year-on-year, to 243 instances. Several forms of the most serious crimes – such as murder, kidnapping, and aggravated assault – continued to be extremely rare in Macao.

Reported cases of false imprisonment in 2020 showed a sharp decrease of 89.5 percent year-on-year, to 37 instances.

The number of reported crimes against property in full-year 2020 saw a 38.6-percent decline, to 5,429 in aggregate, compared to the 2019 tally. Under that heading, suspected usury cases – in Macao typically associated with loan sharking – fell by 87.1 percent year-on-year, to 78 instances. Fraud cases reported in 2020 dropped by 34 percent compared to the previous year, to 1,007 instances.

Across the 12 months of 2020, the number of arson cases was 46, down 19.3-percent year-on-year. Main cause of it was cigarette butt littering.

There was an aggregate of 71 cases of illicit drug trafficking detected in 2020, representing a 40.3-percent year-on-year decline. The police were aware of, and remained in close contact with mainland authorities, regarding a growing trend for criminal groups to traffic illicit drugs by sea or via mailing parcels, in an attempt to evade more stringent entry restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, reported cases of computer-related crime rose by 96.7 percent year-on-year, to 531 instances. Under that heading, instances involving the use of credit cards for online shopping grew by 251.3 percent year-on-year, to 411 cases. 

According to the security authorities, the citywide electronic surveillance system known as “Sky Eye” has had a positive effect in terms of assisting the police in solving crimes more quickly. There was a total of more than 2,300 cases in 2020 that involved the use of the surveillance system for investigation purposes.