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Crime rate grew in Armenia by 9 percent or 1,007 cases in the first half of 2019 from the same period of 2018, Police Colonel Armen Ghukasyan told a news conference on Wednesday, citing the latest official statistics.

According to him, around 95 percent of the registered crimes were petty thefts. The colonel said the amnesty declared in Armenia last year also contributed to the rise in crimes in the country.

“178 out of 658 convicts released under the amnesty again committed crimes,” Ghukasyan said.

Police Chief Valeriy Osipyan, in attendance of the conference, added that apart from the pardoned convicts, some of the 1,248 ex-prisoners also committed new crimes.

The police colonel said the number of particularly serious crimes also increased by 35, mainly connected with the smuggling of narcotic drugs into Armenia.

“Serious crimes also rose by 253 in Armenia, prompted by house thefts and bribery-related offences,” he said.

Armenia also saw an increase in murder and attempted murder rates, robbery, hooliganism, fraud and hijacking. Meanwhile, the number of injuries intentionally inflicted by others, including serious injuries, and sexual harassment cases decreased in the country in the first half-year, the colonel said.