Switzerland reports high percentage of foreign nationals convicted of theft

In 2025, foreign nationals accounted for more than 80 percent of all individuals convicted of theft in Switzerland. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office, there were 7,956 convictions for theft, with approximately 1,500 being Swiss citizens.

Criminologist Dirk Baier of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences noted that the offenders generally fall into two categories: asylum seekers facing financial hardship and lack of prospects, and “criminal tourists” who target the country due to perceived vulnerabilities in property security.

A significant portion of these convictions involves individuals who are not part of the permanent resident population. For example, among Algerian nationals convicted of theft, only 35 held permanent residency. Other nationalities with high proportions of non-resident offenders include Romanians, Moroccans, Tunisians, French, and Georgians.

While property crimes represent a large portion of criminal code convictions, the demographic breakdown varies by offense type. Swiss nationals remain the largest group convicted across all types of offenses, whereas foreign nationals are more heavily represented in specific theft statistics.