Security crisis: firearms and knives spread fear in Hamm!

Security crisis: firearms and knives spread fear in Hamm!

in Hamm, the situation of crime has developed alarming, especially in connection with the use of firearms and knives. According to an inquiry from the AfD parliamentary group, the knife in the city is the most dangerous means of act. This knowledge is underpinned by the prevention campaign "better without a knife", which was launched in autumn 2024. The initiative aims to clarify the population about the risks and consequences of the knife use.

The background of this discussion becomes clear by an armed robbery on a stationery and lottery business on November 20, 2024. In this incident in Bockum-Hövel, a sum of 800 euros was captured, but the perpetrator has not yet been identified. A 15-year-old was arrested as urgently suspected on December 20, 2024. Fortunately, there were no injuries in this attack and it was not shot.

increased number of crimes

AfD MP Markus Wagner called for detailed information about the number of crimes with firearms that have been registered in Hamm since 2020. In 2023, the number of these acts rose to 75, which is more than twice as many as in 2022, when only 36 cases were recorded. It is particularly striking that 53 of the 75 crimes were violations of criminal sub -laws, often in the form of unauthorized storage or carrying out firearms. The registered weapons include both toy pistols as well as PTB or fright weapons as well as sharp weapons.

The increasing number of robberies is also worrying: from 151 in 2020 it rose to 210 in 2023. During the Corona pandemic, street crime in Hamm initially declined, but then there was an increase in the crimes.

weapon ban zones and social challenges

In addition to the increase in firearm crime, the phenomenon of knife power in North Rhine-Westphalia is also important. According to a current study by the NRW police, the knife is the most dangerous means of tea nationwide, a fact that also affects Hamm. Specific weapons prohibition zones were set up in the city to avoid dangerous situations and to increase the security in public.

The situation in Hamm thus reflects a complex development of crime that concerns both the feeling of security of the citizens and the social challenges in dealing with violence and crime. Prevention measures such as the “better without a knife” campaign should help reduce the acceptance of violence and to promote changes in behavior in the population in order to ultimately reduce the number of crimes.

This development requires a quick action from politics and the responsible authorities in order to effectively combat the increase in violence and to ensure the security of the citizens. Further information can be found in the management reports of the NRW police, which provide comprehensive data about various forms of violence and their development.

For more information see also Wa.de and police.nrw .