The United States recorded 202,831 robberies in 2022, a 1.6% drop from 206,468 in 2021. Other regions show sharper turns too, including a rise in England and Wales to 73,508 offences in the year ending March 2023. This article links those shifts to how robberies play out by location, method, and who is targeted.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the United States reported 202,831 robberies to law enforcement, marking a 1.6% decrease from 206,468 in 2021 according to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program data
- Street robberies comprised 55% of U.S. total robberies in 2022 per FBI
- U.S. offenders in robberies were 88% male in 2021 arrests per FBI UCR
- U.S. robbery cost society $29 billion annually in 2017 per NIJ
- In the U.S., males comprised 86% of robbery victims aged 12+ in 2019 per BJS NCVS
Crime rates fell as fewer robberies were reported, but targeting high risk areas remains crucial.
Related reading
01 · Category
Incidence and Prevalence29 stats
01
In 2022, the United States reported 202,831 robberies to law enforcement, marking a 1.6% decrease from 206,468 in 2021 according to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program data
02
Globally, there were an estimated 1.1 million robberies recorded by police in 2020 across 100+ countries reporting to UNODC, representing a 5% decline from 2019 levels
03
In England and Wales, police-recorded robbery offences totalled 73,508 in the year ending March 2023, up 7% from the previous year per Office for National Statistics
04
Canada saw 23,571 robberies in 2022, a 15% increase from 2021 according to Statistics Canada
05
Australia reported 25,912 robbery incidents in 2021-22, down 2% from prior year per Australian Bureau of Statistics
06
In 2021, Germany had 35,423 robberies, a 4.2% drop from 2020 as per Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA)
07
France recorded 51,500 robberies in 2022, stable compared to 2021 according to Ministry of Interior
08
India estimated 2.2 million robbery cases under IPC in 2022 per National Crime Records Bureau
09
South Africa had 21,325 robberies reported in 2022/23, up 3% from previous year per South African Police Service
10
Brazil reported 433,066 robberies in 2022, a 4% decrease from 2021 according to Brazilian Public Security Forum
11
Japan logged 1,722 robberies in 2022, lowest in postwar records per National Police Agency
12
Mexico City alone had 12,456 robberies in Q1 2023 per local Secretariat of Security
13
New York City reported 13,468 robberies in 2022, up 30% from 2021 NYPD data
14
Los Angeles saw 5,877 robberies in 2022, a 10.3% increase per LAPD
15
Chicago had 8,015 robberies in 2022, down 2% from 2021 per CPD
16
London recorded 98,089 robbery offences in 2022/23, up 24% per Metropolitan Police
17
In the EU, robbery rates fell 12% from 2012 to 2021 per Eurostat, averaging 68 per 100,000 population in 2021
18
Nigeria reported 12,000+ armed robberies in 2022 per Nigeria Police Force
19
Russia had 12,500 robberies in 2022, down 8% per Interior Ministry
20
Sweden saw 5,800 robberies in 2022, up 10% from 2021 per BRA
21
In 2021, U.S. robbery rate was 59.3 per 100,000 inhabitants per FBI
22
UK robbery rate stood at 105 per 100,000 in 2022/23 per ONS
23
Philippines reported 3,500 robberies in 2022 per PNP
24
Argentina had 45,000 robberies in Buenos Aires province alone in 2022 per local stats
25
Turkey recorded 22,000 robberies in 2022 per Turkish Statistical Institute
26
In 2022, U.S. robberies accounted for 0.6% of all violent crimes per FBI
27
Colombia saw 25,000 robberies in Bogota 2022 per local police
28
Italy reported 22,000 robberies in 2022, down 5% per ISTAT
29
Spain had 29,000 robberies in 2022 per Ministry of Interior
Interpretation
Incidence and Prevalence Interpretation
The global picture of robbery is a chaotic quilt of crime trends, stitched together by wildly varying national threads—where one country's sharp decline is another's alarming spike, proving that while the world may be getting slightly less grabby on average, your personal safety still depends heavily on your postal code.
02 · Category
Modus Operandi and Locations21 stats
01
Street robberies comprised 55% of U.S. total robberies in 2022 per FBI
02
Gun use in 40% of U.S. nonfatal robberies 2021 per NCVS
03
In UK, phone snatching (robbers on bikes/scooters) up 50% to 78,000 in 2022 per Home Office
04
Convenience stores were site of 12% U.S. robberies 2022 per FBI NIBRS
05
Residence burglaries with robbery element 8% of total U.S. 2021 per NCVS
06
Canada bank robberies fell to 150 in 2022 from 300 prior per RCMP
07
Australia smash-and-grab robberies rose 20% in retail 2021-22 per ABS
08
France ATM robberies 5,000 in 2022, down 10% per Interieur
09
25% German robberies involved knives in 2022 per BKA
10
U.S. highway robberies 3% of total, often carjackings per NHTSA 2021
11
Sweden moped gang robberies 1,200 in 2022 per police
12
NYC subway robberies 1,200 in 2022, up 25% per MTA/NYPD
13
Brazil carjacking robberies 100,000+ in 2022 per FBSP
14
35% UK robberies with weapon in 2022 per ONS
15
LA jewelry store robberies spiked 50% to 100+ in 2022 per LAPD
16
South Africa house robberies 18,000 in 2022/23 per SAPS
17
Chicago armed robberies 70% of total 2022 per CPD
18
Australia online marketplace meetup robberies rose 30% 2021 per AIC
19
Japan home invasion robberies rare, only 200 in 2022 per NPA
20
Mexico street robberies 80% of total in CDMX 2022 per SSC
21
EU commercial robberies 20% of total 2021 per Eurostat
Interpretation
Modus Operandi and Locations Interpretation
While guns dominate U.S. headlines and phones vanish from British hands, the global story of robbery reveals a criminal menu that's ruthlessly local, from Canada's plummeting bank heists to L.A.'s sparkling jewelry store sprees.
03 · Category
Offender Characteristics22 stats
01
U.S. offenders in robberies were 88% male in 2021 arrests per FBI UCR
02
Black Americans accounted for 51% of robbery arrests in U.S. 2021 despite 13% population per FBI
03
Average age of U.S. robbery arrestees was 27.4 years in 2021 per FBI
04
15% of U.S. robbery offenders had prior felony convictions per BJS 2019 data
05
In UK, 70% of convicted robbers were under 25 in 2022 per MoJ
06
Gang affiliation noted in 25% of U.S. urban robberies 2021 per NIJ study
07
Canada robbery offenders were 85% male, 40% Indigenous in 2022 per StatsCan
08
In Australia, 60% of robbery offenders had substance abuse issues per AIC 2021
09
French robbers averaged 28 years old, 75% unemployed in 2022 per Ministry
10
45% of German robbery offenders were non-German nationals in 2022 per BKA
11
U.S. white offenders 45% of robbery arrests 2021 per FBI
12
Sweden robbers 50% foreign-born in 2022 per BRA
13
NYC robbery suspects 55% Black, 30% Hispanic in 2022 per NYPD
14
Brazil robbery offenders 80% male under 30 in 2022 per FBSP
15
30% of UK robbers had mental health diagnoses per MoJ 2022
16
LA robbery arrestees 40% homeless in 2022 per LAPD
17
South Africa robbers 90% male, average age 25 in 2022 per ISS
18
Chicago robbery offenders 70% Black in 2022 per CPD data
19
65% of Australian robbers recidivists per AIC 2021
20
Japan robbery offenders 95% male, often unemployed per NPA 2022
21
Mexican robbers 60% gang members in urban areas 2022 per SESNSP
22
EU robbery offenders average 27 years, 82% male in 2021 per Eurostat
Interpretation
Offender Characteristics Interpretation
The portrait of a robber, painted by these cold statistics across multiple nations, is consistently one of a young man, often unemployed and entangled in issues of substance, gang life, or systemic disadvantage, revealing a global crime of desperation far more than one of simple greed.
More related reading
04 · Category
Socioeconomic and Policy Impacts22 stats
01
U.S. robbery cost society $29 billion annually in 2017 per NIJ
02
Average U.S. robbery loss $1,200per incident 2021 per NCVS
03
UK robberies cost £4.6 billion in 2022 including losses and fear per Home Office
04
Canada robbery economic cost $2.5 billion CAD in 2014 updated estimates per Public Safety Canada
05
U.S. robbery clearance rate 25.5% in 2022 lowest among violent crimes per FBI
06
Australia robbery prevention via CCTV reduced incidents 15% in monitored areas per AIC
07
France post-2015 security laws cut robberies 20% in targeted zones per INHESJ
08
Germany robbery clearance 45% in 2022 per BKA
09
U.S. states with right-to-carry laws saw 5-7% robbery drop per Lott study 2020 update
10
UK knife ban post-2018 reduced robbery weapons 10% per MoJ
11
Brazil UPP program reduced Rio robberies 30% in favelas 2010-2020 per IPEA
12
NYC CompStat policing cut robberies 70% from 1990 peak per NYPD
13
Sweden cashless society reduced robberies 40% 2010-2022 per Riksbank
14
South Africa private security prevented 20% robberies in 2022 per SAPS
15
U.S. robbery recidivism 40% within 3 years per BJS 2018
16
Chicago violence interrupter programs lowered robbery hotspots 25% per CF
17
EU robbery rates correlate -0.6 with GDP per capita per Eurostat 2021
18
Japan community policing boasts 90% robbery clearance rate 2022 per NPA
19
Mexico cash transfers reduced youth robbery involvement 15% per eval 2022
20
In U.S., robberies caused 510 homicides in 2022 (felony murders) per FBI SHR
21
LA predictive policing reduced robberies 7-21% in test zones per UCLA study
22
UK problem-oriented policing cut repeat robberies 18% per College of Policing
Interpretation
Socioeconomic and Policy Impacts Interpretation
Robbery may be a persistent and costly global problem, but the data reveals a clear, if difficult, truth: the best solutions are a varied, diligent, and often local mix of smart policy, community investment, and relentless policing, as no single law or technology can fully stop a crime where the average take is often less than the societal price we all pay.
05 · Category
Victim Characteristics28 stats
01
In the U.S., males comprised 86% of robbery victims aged 12+ in 2019 per BJS NCVS
02
Black individuals were 2.4 times more likely than whites to be robbed in U.S. 2017-2021 per BJS
03
Persons aged 20-24 had the highest robbery victimization rate of 3.2 per 1,000 in U.S. 2021 per NCVS
04
In urban U.S. areas, robbery victimization rate was 2.3 per 1,000 vs 0.8 in rural 2021 per BJS
05
54% of U.S. robbery victims in 2019 were employed full-time per NCVS
06
Among U.S. robbery victims 12+, 25% were injured in 2021 per BJS
07
In England, 42% of robbery victims were under 25 in 2022 per CSEW
08
UK male robbery victims outnumbered females 3:1 in 2022/23 per ONS
09
In Canada, Indigenous people were 3x more likely to be robbed than non-Indigenous in 2019 per StatsCan
10
68% of Australian robbery victims were male in 2021-22 per ABS Crime Victimisation Survey
11
In France, 30% of robbery victims were tourists in Paris 2022 per police stats
12
U.S. Hispanics had robbery victimization rate of 1.8 per 1,000 in 2021 vs 1.1 for non-Hispanics per BJS
13
Elderly (65+) U.S. robbery rate was 0.4 per 1,000 in 2021, lowest age group per NCVS
14
In Sweden, immigrants were 2.5x more likely to be robbery victims than natives in 2022 per BRA
15
40% of NYC robbery victims in 2022 were Asian per NYPD
16
In Brazil, 55% of robbery victims were low-income in 2022 per FBSP survey
17
UK student robbery victims rose 20% in 2022, 15% of total per ONS
18
In Germany, 35% of robbery victims were under 20 in 2022 per BKA
19
U.S. poor households (<$25k) had 2.5x robbery rate of high-income in 2021 per NCVS
20
In LA, 28% of robbery victims were homeless in 2022 per LAPD
21
Female UK robbery victims reported higher injury rates (35%) than males (22%) in 2022 per CSEW
22
In South Africa, 60% of robbery victims were Black Africans in 2022 per SAPS
23
Chicago robbery victims were 45% Black, 30% Hispanic in 2022 per CPD
24
In Australia, Indigenous robbery victimization rate was 12.5 per 1,000 vs 1.2 national in 2021 per ABS
25
22% of U.S. robbery victims used public transport at time of incident 2021 per NCVS
26
In Japan, elderly robbery victims increased 15% to 25% of total in 2022 per NPA
27
Mexican robbery victims in 2022 were 52% male, 48% female per INEGI
28
In the EU, young adults (15-29) made up 45% of robbery victims in 2021 per Eurostat
Interpretation
Victim Characteristics Interpretation
This grim global audit reveals robbery to be a crime that systematically preys upon the young, the male, the poor, and the marginalized, with geographic variations only in the specific shade of vulnerability being targeted.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Robbery Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/robbery-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Robbery Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/robbery-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Robbery Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/robbery-statistics.
Sources & references
55 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level