Beneath its serene Nordic beauty, Norway faces a complex crime landscape where the capital city shoulders nearly half of the nation's violent incidents, even as overall rates of homicide and property crime continue to fall.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Norway recorded 34 homicides, resulting in a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 inhabitants
- Norway's assault rate in 2022 was 583 per 100,000 population
- In 2021, there were 1,234 cases of serious assault reported nationwide
- Norway burglary rate 2022: 512 per 100,000
- Total thefts reported: 85,430 in 2022
- Vehicle thefts: 4,200 cases in 2022, down 10% from 2021
- Norway drug seizures 2022: 1,245 kg cannabis
- Drug offenses total: 12,340 in 2022
- Amphetamine seizures: 340 kg in 2022
- Rape reports in Norway 2022: 1,012 cases
- Sexual assaults total: 3,450 in 2022
- Child sexual abuse cases: 890 reported 2022
- Fraud cases Norway 2022: 12,500 reported
- Cybercrime incidents: 4,200 in 2022
- Identity thefts: 3,100 cases 2022
Norway's overall crime is declining despite some concerning rises in specific areas like drug offenses and cybercrime.
Drug Crime
- Norway drug seizures 2022: 1,245 kg cannabis
- Drug offenses total: 12,340 in 2022
- Amphetamine seizures: 340 kg in 2022
- Drug-related arrests: 8,950 in 2021
- Heroin possession cases: 1,200 in 2022
- Cocaine seizures value: 500 million NOK 2022
- Youth drug offenses (15-24): 3,450 cases 2022
- Drug trafficking convictions: 620 in 2022
- Synthetic drugs (MDMA) seizures: 45 kg 2022
- Drug overdose deaths: 306 in 2022
- Oslo drug crimes: 40% of national total 2022
- Drug cultivation busts: 120 in 2022
- Prescription drug abuse reports: 2,100 2022
- Drug crime clearance rate: 72% 2022
- Darknet drug sales Norway: 15% of EU market 2022
- Drug import seizures at ports: 700 kg 2022
- Repeat drug offenders: 5,600 in 2022
- Drug crime trend 2018-2022: +8% increase
Drug Crime Interpretation
While Norway's impressive 72% clearance rate for drug crimes suggests their system is catching plenty, the 8% overall increase and 306 overdose deaths reveal a stubborn and tragic demand that continues to outpace enforcement.
Economic and Cyber Crime
- Fraud cases Norway 2022: 12,500 reported
- Cybercrime incidents: 4,200 in 2022
- Identity thefts: 3,100 cases 2022
- Phishing attacks reported: 15,000 to police 2022
- Money laundering convictions: 340 in 2022
- Embezzlement cases: 890 corporate 2022
- Tax fraud detected: 2.1 billion NOK 2022
- Cyber fraud losses: 1.5 billion NOK 2022
- Investment scams: 1,200 victims 2022
- Ransomware attacks on businesses: 450 in 2022
- Credit card fraud: 5,600 cases 2022
- Corruption perceptions index Norway: 84/100 rank 4th 2022
- Bribery cases prosecuted: 45 in 2022
- Economic crime clearance rate: 55% 2022
- Crypto fraud schemes busted: 20 in 2022
- Business email compromise losses: 300 million NOK 2022
- Cybercrime trend Norway 2018-2022: +40% increase
- Online banking fraud: 2,800 cases 2022
- Insider trading violations: 120 investigated 2022
- VAT fraud recovered: 800 million NOK 2022
- Norway economic crime index: 22.1 Numbeo 2023
Economic and Cyber Crime Interpretation
Norway's ledger of 2022 tells a tale of impressive integrity fighting a digital deluge, where phishing hooks 15,000 lines but the nation's anti-corruption anchor holds firm at 84 out of 100.
Property Crime
- Norway burglary rate 2022: 512 per 100,000
- Total thefts reported: 85,430 in 2022
- Vehicle thefts: 4,200 cases in 2022, down 10% from 2021
- Residential burglaries: 6,890 in 2021
- Shoplifting incidents: 32,100 in 2022
- Bicycle thefts: 12,500 reported in Oslo alone 2022
- Property crime clearance rate: 18% in 2022
- Pickpocketing: 2,300 cases, mostly tourist areas 2022
- Vandalism reports: 45,000 in 2022
- Commercial burglaries: 1,450 in 2023
- Property crime rate Oslo: 4,200/100k in 2022
- Theft from vehicles: 18,900 incidents 2022
- Norway theft index: 38.2 in 2023 Numbeo
- Rural property crime rate: 20% lower than urban 2022
- Recovered stolen goods value: 450 million NOK 2022
- Organized theft rings dismantled: 15 in 2022
- Property crime trend 2015-2022: -15% overall
- Fraudulent thefts: 5,600 cases 2022
- Agricultural thefts: 890 incidents 2022
Property Crime Interpretation
While Norway's property crime is on a welcome downward trend, the numbers suggest thieves still have a statistically significant, if slightly awkward, time in a country where your bike in Oslo is far more likely to be stolen than your car is to be found.
Sexual Offenses
- Rape reports in Norway 2022: 1,012 cases
- Sexual assaults total: 3,450 in 2022
- Child sexual abuse cases: 890 reported 2022
- Domestic sexual violence: 450 incidents 2022
- Online grooming cases: 320 in 2022
- Rape conviction rate: 12% in 2022
- Sexual harassment reports: 2,100 workplace 2022
- Stranger rapes: 35% of total 2022
- Acquaintance sexual assaults: 1,800 cases 2022
- Sexual offense clearance rate: 45% 2022
- Youth sexual offenses victims: 1,200 under 18 2022
- Group sexual assaults: 120 cases 2022
- Sexual crime trend 2010-2022: +25% reports
- Revenge porn cases: 450 in 2022
- Incest reports: 150 cases 2022
- Sexual offenses Oslo: 30% national share 2022
- Prostitution-related sexual crimes: 210 arrests 2022
- Sexual assault in public: 890 cases 2022
- Norway sexual violence prevalence: 9% women lifetime
- Cyber sexual extortion cases: 180 in 2022
Sexual Offenses Interpretation
Behind the veneer of a progressive society, these numbers tell a chilling story: while Norway sees a brave 25% surge in victims reporting sexual violence, the system's 12% conviction rate for rape and 45% clearance rate for sexual offenses suggest that justice remains a distant acquaintance for far too many.
Violent Crime
- In 2022, Norway recorded 34 homicides, resulting in a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 inhabitants
- Norway's assault rate in 2022 was 583 per 100,000 population
- In 2021, there were 1,234 cases of serious assault reported nationwide
- Robbery incidents in Norway dropped to 1,456 in 2022 from 1,789 in 2021
- Oslo had 45% of Norway's violent crimes in 2022, totaling over 15,000 incidents
- Aggravated assault cases rose by 5% to 892 in 2023
- Norway's intentional homicide victims in 2020 numbered 31, rate 0.55/100k
- Youth violence (ages 15-24) accounted for 28% of assaults in 2022
- Knife-related violent crimes increased 12% in urban areas 2021-2022
- Domestic violence reports reached 12,500 in 2022
- Gang-related violence incidents: 340 in 2022
- Attempted murders: 120 cases in 2022
- Violent crime clearance rate: 65% in 2022
- Manslaughter cases: 4 in 2021
- Public violence offenses: 2,100 in Oslo 2022
- Norway's violent crime index score: 25.4 in 2023
- Homicide by firearm: 8 cases in 2022
- Repeat violent offenders: 4,200 in 2022
- Violent crime trend 2018-2022: -3% annual decrease
- Hospital-treated assaults: 1,800 cases 2022
Violent Crime Interpretation
Norway presents a peaceful national picture with remarkably low homicide rates, yet a closer look reveals a persistent and concentrated core of violence—primarily urban, often involving knives and repeat offenders—that suggests the real challenge isn't widespread fear, but targeting specific, entrenched problems.
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