Seven in 10 Athenians worried about crime, report shows
A new study indicates that seven out of 10 Greeks are worried that they may fall victim to crime in the capital.
According to the study, which was carried out by the Geochoros research team at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 69 percent of respondents are concerned about becoming the victim of a burglary, mugging or other crime.
Researchers used the responses to an online questionnaire posted on the NTUA’s website to compile their findings.
The highest level of concern was about potential burglaries, with four in 10 (41.8 percent) respondents saying they feared a break-in.
Three in 10 (31.3 percent) said they feared street muggings, with around the same proportion (30.7 percent) expressing concern about their children’s safety on their way to school or in public parks.
Nearly three in 10 (28 percent) said they were worried about drug dealing in their area, with 26.7 percent saying they feared that their car would be stolen and 26 percent expressing concern about falling victim to a mugging or other crime while traveling on public transport.
Asked whether they believed there had been a spike in crime in their neighborhood in the past two years, nearly four in 10 (38.6 percent) said yes.
The highest rate of fear of muggings was expressed by residents of downtown districts of Athens including Exarchia, Akadimia Platonos, Petralona, Gyzi, Kypseli, Lycabettus Hill and the municipality of Acharnes, northern Athens.
