Crimes Against Homeless People in 2025: 17 Percent Increase

Regional Focus: Berlin, Bavaria, and North Rhine-Westphalia

From a regional perspective, the offenses are concentrated in a few federal states. Homeless people most frequently became victims in Berlin (592 cases), followed by Bavaria with 492 crimes and North Rhine-Westphalia with 310 reported incidents. North Rhine-Westphalia (310 cases) thus ranks third in the state comparison. With nearly 600 cases, homeless people most often became victims in Berlin, followed by Bavaria with around 500 and North Rhine-Westphalia with around 300 cases.

The Left Warns of High Dark Figure

Sahra Mirow, a Left party member of the Bundestag and spokesperson for Social Housing, expressed alarm. "Wir erleben auf unseren Straßen derzeit eine beispiellose Gewalteskalation gegen wohnungslose Menschen", she told the Rheinische Post. The more than 2,500 crimes recorded by police represent only the tip of the iceberg. Due to a low willingness to file reports among those affected as well as imprecise recording criteria and definitions on the part of the authorities, a significant dark figure and far higher case numbers must be assumed.

Lower Clearance Rate Than Average

According to the ministry, the clearance of such cases also lags behind the average. The responses also show, according to the report, that the clearance rate for crimes against homeless people is on average lower than overall. For cases of violent crime against homeless people, it stood at 66.5 percent last year – compared to a rate of 77.5 percent across all areas. Overall, the share of cleared cases across all areas was 77.5 percent.

The parliamentary inquiry by the Left party and the figures now presented are likely to further fuel the debate about better protection and more reliable recording of crimes against homeless people. The broadcast on Deutschlandfunk on 13.06.2026 made the statistics known nationwide. (AFP)

As the "Rheinische Post" reports, there were more than 2,560 crimes against homeless people in 2025. Last year, 2,563 incidents were reported – 17 percent more than the year before.