Positive reports are rare in connection with police crime statistics. However, Germany's figures for 2025 indicate a possible turnaround: Registered cases of criminality have fallen by 5.6% compared to 2024, with a total of 5.5 million cases recorded.
The number of suspected offences recorded has therefore fallen significantly. There were noticeably fewer reports than in the previous year, particularly in the areas of robbery, street crime and theft. But more worryingly, the figures for homicide and sexual offences are on the rise.
Various factors are discussed in the report as possible causes for the decline. Among them, the partial legalisation of cannabis is mentioned as a possible influence. A decline in migration could also play a role.
"The measures taken to limit irregular migration may have contributed to this," according to the police crime statistics report.
In 2025, the number of foreign suspects fell by around 3%, excluding offences under immigration law. The decline roughly corresponds to that of German suspects.
The number of offences committed by "immigrants" also fell by around 9%, also excluding offences under immigration law. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) defines "immigrants" as refugees, irregular immigrants, tolerated persons, persons entitled to asylum and protection and asylum seekers.
At the same time, the proportion of foreign suspects remains high overall at 35.5%. Immigrants make up 8.2% of suspects.
There is also a positive trend in the number of suspected offences committed by children and young people of both German and foreign nationality.
Significantly more murder investigations
Although violent crime fell last year, down by 2.3%, sexual offences increased significantly. These include rape, sexual assault and particularly serious sexual assaults. They rose by 8.5% to number 14,500 cases.
According to the BKA, suspects in rape offences are primarily people close to the victim: friends, acquaintances, partners or ex-partners. Around 98% of the alleged perpetrators were male and according to a field study by the BKA, the reporting rate for sexual offences is low, at only around 6%.
Cases of "murder, manslaughter and killing on demand" have also risen, by 6.5% to 2,450 cases. Offences against the Weapons Act also increased, by 5.5% to 37,500 cases.
At around three quarters, men make up the majority of suspects. They are also more frequently represented among the victims: 58% are male, 42% female.
The statistics only cover police investigations so no conclusions can be drawn about convictions or the actual number of offenders. The study also does not include cases that are not reported.
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