The problem of robbery has been a long-standing issue in the state, affecting various sectors of Yucatan society.
While motor vehicles and homes are often targeted for thefts, this year saw an increase in reports of business robberies compared to the same period last year. According to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, up to September there were 76 complaints filed against businesses for these crimes. This represents a 35% increase from the previous year’s total of 56 complaints.
This trend has been observed over recent years, despite a significant decrease in reports from 2019 when there were nearly 500 cases, to just 90 in 2020. The current upward trend began in 2021 with 60 complaints filed against businesses for these crimes, followed by an increase of 16 cases in 2022 and 17 in 2023, resulting in a total of 93 complaints.
Business robberies in Yucatan in 2024
As of this year, there have been over seven dozen reports of business robberies. The months with the highest number of complaints were May with 16 cases, July and August both with 10, January with eight, February and March each with seven, April with six, June with four, and September with eight.
According to federal security agency statistics, all of these robberies occurred without violence and averaged around eight cases per month. These business robberies account for approximately 19% of the total thefts reported in Yucatan, ranking third among the most common types of robbery in the state.
Business robbery in the Yucatan Peninsula
Comparatively speaking, Quintana Roo and Campeche have far higher rates of business robberies, with 1,597 and 497 incidents respectively. The federal agency reports that up to September this year, a total of 384 robberies were reported in Yucatan.
Of these incidents, 137 or 35%, are categorized by the agency as “other robberies,” all without violence. After business robberies, motor vehicle thefts had the highest incidence with 82 cases also without violence. Home robberies followed closely behind with 57 reports of which only one involved violence.
Source: Diario de Yucatan
