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Date Published: 25/02/2026

Málaga kidnappings double amid rising murders

Overall crime up 2% in 2025, though property offences fall sharply

Málaga province saw some worrying shifts in crime last year. The Ministry of the Interior's latest report shows kidnappings more than doubling, from 8 cases in 2024 to 17 in 2025. That's a 112.5% jump, the sharpest rise among serious offences. Meanwhile, murders climbed 13%, going from 23 to 26, even as attempted murders dipped slightly by 7.8%.

Property crime brought better news, dropping 7.29% overall to 36,658 incidents. Home burglaries led the way down with a 23.9% fall, while business break-ins eased 22.6%. Robberies with violence or intimidation edged back 0.9%, and general thefts fell 4%. Vehicle thefts were the outlier, ticking up 0.8%.

Other categories painted a mixed picture. Assaults and affrays rose 7.3% to 1,224 cases. Sexual crimes increased 2.4% to 858, with other related offences up 3.8%, though penetrative assaults dropped 2.8% to 171. Drug trafficking offences continued sliding, down 4.8%. Cybercrime bucked the trend though, climbing 6.4% as online scams proliferated.

Altogether, total offences grew 2%, from 102,232 to 104,234. Deputy Government Delegate Javier Salas struck an optimistic note. "The province maintains a positive trend in the crimes that most concern citizens," he said, crediting the State Security Forces for their efforts.

Figures like these hit close to home, especially the doubling of kidnappings and those extra murders. On the brighter side, fewer break-ins mean more peaceful nights for many. Families will welcome the drop in robberies too. Still, that cybercrime rise reminds everyone to stay sharp with online banking and emails. Local Policía Nacional, Guardia Civil and Policía Local keep working hard on it all.

Málaga stays safer than many spots in Spain, but no room for complacency. These stats give a clear nudge to lock up properly and watch for scams.

Image: Archive

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