Rape cases in S'pore up by around 20%, theft & voyeurism down: SPF annual crime brief

Physical crime in Singapore rose in 2025, with rape and molestation cases seeing an uptick.

Meanwhile, theft, voyeurism, and housebreaking saw a drop in the number of cases.

A total of 20,857 physical crime cases were reported in 2025, up from 19,969 in 2024, according to the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in its annual crime brief released on Feb. 24.

Outrage of modesty and rape offences increased, voyeurism down

Rape cases saw the sharpest rise among physical crimes in Singapore, increasing by nearly 20 per cent from 401 cases in 2024 to 479 in 2025.

Meanwhile, outrage of modesty cases rose by 7.3 per cent, from 1,427 cases in 2024 to 1,531 in 2025.

Such cases most commonly took place at residential premises, the public transport network, and public entertainment outlets.

More than half involved offenders who were known to the victims, the police said.

On the other hand, voyeurism cases saw a drop of 6.4 per cent, from 519 in 2024 to 486 in 2025.

SPF said this reflects the "joint efforts by the SPF and the wider community", including in the roll-out of  practical safety guidelines for public toilets, like CCTV cameras at toilet entrances, to deter voyeurism.

The most common locations for voyeurism were residential premises, shopping malls and the public transport network.

In residential settings, offenders were often known to the victims, including current or former partners, household members and friends.

Violent crimes

The number of murder cases reported dropped from the five-year high of 10 cases in 2024, to seven in 2025.

But knife-related incidents saw a slight increase from 131 cases in 2024 to 137 cases in 2025.

In five of the murder cases, the culprits were known to victims, SPF said.

This included the Yishun stabbing last September, in which a man stabbed a neighbour couple over a noise dispute.

Theft cases

Theft in dwelling remained a "crime of concern", said SPF, even though cases dipped slightly from 1,514 in 2024 to 1,500 in 2025.

Such cases made up about 7.2 per cent of total physical crimes.

Notably, theft cases in dormitories rose significantly — up 57.4 per cent between 2024 and 2025.

Most involved residents taking personal belongings from victims who were asleep or distracted.

Other theft-in-dwelling cases typically occurred in unsecured or unattended premises, creating opportunities for crime.

Meanwhile, shop theft cases fell by 3 per cent, from 4,237 in 2024 to 4,109 in 2025.

But they still accounted for 19.7 per cent of all physical crime and remained one of the top offences among youths arrested last year.

Most shop thefts took place in supermarkets, beauty and personal care stores, as well as health and wellness shops.

Over half of the cases involved losses of less than S$50, and typically included items like food and drinks, personal care products, alcohol, clothing and accessories.

Public urged to stay vigilant

The police said everyone has a role to play in keeping Singapore safe.

Business operators, including those in public transport and entertainment, are encouraged to put preventive measures in place to protect customers, staff and property.

Members of the public can stay updated on crime trends and advisories by signing up for the Community Watch Scheme, downloading the Police@SG mobile app, and following SPF on social media.

You can also visit the nearest Neighbourhood Police Centre for information on crime prevention initiatives.

Top photo from SPF/Facebook