Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe recorded a 3.5 percent increase in crime during the second quarter of 2025, according to police statistics quoted by the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency (ZIMSTAT).
Between April and June, police registered 321,640 offences, up from 310,876 in the first quarter of the year, ZIMSTAT social statistics manager, Tinashe Mwadiwa said.
He said this translated to a national crime rate of 2,119 crimes per 100,000 people, a rise from 2,048.1 per 100,000 recorded in the previous quarter.
He said most provinces experienced higher crime levels, with the steepest increases reported in Matabeleland South (693 per 100,000), Bulawayo (523.2), and Manicaland (379.5).
The Public Safety and State Security category accounted for the majority of reported offences, with 177,909 cases recorded, a crime rate of 1,172.1 per 100,000 population.
Mwadiwa said violent crimes were of particular concern. Police recorded 271 cases of intentional homicide, translating to 1.8 per 100,000 people, while assaults and threats were the most common offences under acts “causing or intending to cause harm to the person,” with a rate of 173.7 per 100,000.
Property-related crimes also featured prominently, with 35,911 theft cases recorded nationwide, a rate of 236.6 per 100,000 population.
He said economic crimes included 2,684 cases of fraud and 55 of forgery or counterfeiting, reflecting rates of 17.7 and 0.4 per 100,000, respectively.
Drug-related offences showed 2,533 incidents, corresponding to a rate of 16.7 per 100,000, while acts against public order and behavioural standards totalled 5,102 cases (33.6 per 100,000).
Traffic violations continued to dominate overall figures, with 191,997 non-injurious traffic offences recorded during the quarter, a rate of 1,264.9 per 100,000 population.
Sexual violence cases remained a persistent challenge, with 3,248 cases reported between April and June, representing a rate of 21.4 per 100,000 population.
Authorities say the data underscores the need for strengthened community policing, awareness campaigns, and tougher enforcement to curb rising offences across the country.
New Ziana
