Egypt

Govt report: Thousands of crimes committed during revolution

State-run news agency MENA released a report Wednesday detailing a spike in crime during and after the revolution. 

According to MENA, nearly 2500 crimes including murder, robbery and rape, took place between 28 January and 28 February.

Recent crimes have been attributed to the security vacuum that occurred after police withdrew from the streets during protests and the military took over. But there have also been allegations that President Hosni Mubarak's embattled regime sponsored crime during the protests to engender chaos.

Mubarak resigned on 11 February, handing power to the military.

According to MENA, the Interior Ministry recorded 122 murders, 89 robberies, two rape cases, 11 indecent assaults, and 112 arson incidents from 28 January and 28 February. In the past, Egypt has been known for its relatively low crime rate compared to the size of its population.

MENA also reported that hundreds of houses and stores were looted and 811 vehicles stolen.

The report added that many agriculture fields were encroached upon, and buildings were constructed without licenses.

These numbers may be much lower than the actual crime rate during the revolution, as many crimes likely went unreported.

Security services had trouble dealing with criminal acts, according to MENA, especially as most of them took place during the revolution when widespread thuggery was reported. Around 99 police stations across the country were attacked, and as a result, no official police reports on these crimes were filed. However, MENA added, security forces were able to record around 62 percent of crimes, and 40 percent of misdemeanors and arrest some of the perpetrators.

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