Bulgaria Records 80,348 Crimes in 2025, Phone Frauds Surge Nearly 37%

Bulgaria registered a total of 80,348 crimes in 2025, according to the annual report from the Interior Ministry published on Monday. Of these, 86.7% were crimes targeting individuals and their property, while 13.3% were economic offenses. Overall, the number of recorded crimes fell by 6.6% compared with 2024. The crime detection rate reached 47.9%, with 39,960 cases solved, marking a difference of 536 cases compared to figures cited by caretaker Interior Minister Emil Dechev in a written response to MP Ivaylo Shotev from PP-DB on March 16.

Phone frauds saw a significant rise, increasing by 36.9% from 282 incidents in 2024 to 386 in 2025. The Plovdiv region reported the highest number with 71 cases, followed by the Pleven region with 39. About 103 of these cases, or 26.7%, were resolved, and 107 perpetrators were identified.

Crimes committed by minors showed mixed trends. In 2025, children were responsible for 2,374 thefts, a decline of 7.9% from the previous year. Drug-related offenses among minors increased by 3.6%, while hooliganism rose by 18.4%. The number of crimes committed by minors that were solved fell by 5%, totaling 5,182 in 2025 compared with 5,453 in 2024.

The Interior Ministry conducted a total of 148,477 investigations in 2025, of which 137,389 were standard proceedings and 11,088 expedited. From these, 95,597 investigations were completed and submitted to the relevant prosecution offices. Among them, 30,982 included recommendations to file indictments, 35,811 recommended termination of proceedings, and 28,804 suggested suspensions. All pre-trial investigations were concluded within the legally required timeframes, ensuring compliance with statutory deadlines.