Data from the National Police report an increase in crime in 2009, around 5.5 percent, a total 29,967 crimes. There was in the country a total of 10,650 crimes against persons, against 10,537 in the year 2008, an increase of about one percent. For the same period and in relation to crimes against property there was a total of 11,317 cases against 10,270 registered in 2008, representing an increase of 10 percent.

For property crimes, there have been over 515 thefts, totaling 3215, 267 more damage, totaling 1720, there were 4157 burglaries, 104 more than in 2008. Crimes against property account for 52 percent of crimes.

Regarding the evolution of crimes against persons compared with 2008, the focus is on injury, with 4192 cases, up 166; threats 65 cases out of 2655, a total of 166 injury at 1425.

In 2009 there were 38 homicides, more than 4 in relation to homicides in 2008 and the difference was one, since last year there were only 3 cases.

Praia is the city with the highest absolute number of occurrences, 40 percent, with a total 8944, more than 676 cases in 2008. S. Vicente appears in second position with 12.54 percent, a total of 2,750 cases, 657 more than in 2008. Sal is in third place with 7.7 percent, with 1688 crimes, 218 less than in 2008. Sao Filipe is fourth in this ranking, with 4.68 percent for a total of 1027 cases, but with a reduction of 331 in the previous year. With less than 581 for the year 2008 and a total of 1007 crimes, Santa Catarina of Santiago appears in 5th place with 4.59 percent of cases. Tarrafal of Santiago over 256 cases, totaling 786, is sixth with 3.58 percent of the absolute number of occurrences.

In Praia were recorded 19 homicides, 3 more than in 2008, 5 in Santa Catarina Santiago, the same number last year, S. Vicente 4, with 3 more than in 2008, Salt also with 3 more than in 2008, a total of 4; Calheta and Tarrafal Santiago had not registered any case in 2008 had 3 and 2 counts of murder respectively. The remaining 3 cases of homicides occurred in Santa Cruz, Ribeira Brava and Sao Filipe.

In the case of illegal possession of firearms is a curious fact that there was a reduction of arrests, 85 while was 214 in 2008 and 129 last year.

In the penultimate quarter of 2009 was still a tendency for increased crime in the order of 11.4 percent, but the National Police believes that allocating more resources to the Municipalities problem could reduce the tendency of 11.4 percent to 5.5 .

The National Police also believes that the reality of the country is "quite" apart from what happened in 2005, particularly in terms of murder and events involving firearms.