A study published on Monday by the Tirana-based Institute for Democracy and Mediation, IDM, based on data from 2012, shows that murder rates in Albania peak in the summer.
“Police register the highest number of crimes against individuals, including murder, manslaughter and attempted murder, during the third quarter of the year, from July until September,” IDM noted in its report.

“Otherwise, crimes against property and theft are registered mainly in the first quarter, in the period between January and March,” it added.

The study, entitled Crime Trends in Albania, which analyzes data provided by the police, says the police registered a total of 14,030 criminal investigations in 2012, with one crime committed on average every 40 minutes.

Nearly 96 per cent of police investigations relate to theft.

Although police claim to have a high crime-detection rate, with two-thirds of cases resolved, the murder rate in Albania has risen in the last four years.

According to IDM data, the murder rate rose by than 40 per cent in 2010 and 2011 compared with the two preceding years.

The think-tank said that 354 murders, manslaughters and attempted murders were registered in 2012. balkaninsight