Is pickpocketing the easiest crime to get away with in Malta? Recent figures show that police officers have a questionable record; just 80 people have been charged with the crime since 2016 despite there being 6,166 reported cases.

While one person could be responsible for several pickpocketing cases, a number of people are still clearly getting away with it. In 2017, for example, just eight people appeared before a court, despite there being close to 2,144 reported cases.

It should be noted that the police have been working hard to curb the issue, with the number of reported cases dropping by more than half in two years. Whether that’s due to growing awareness or a drop in offenders is unclear.

In fact, before 2016 pickpocketing was growing in Malta at an alarming rate, increasing by 600% from 2009 to 2016.

The trend was linked to a number of Eastern European gangs by police officers, some of whom were brought to justice. However, it appears that an educational campaign has yielded the best results.

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