More than 80% of those convicted were foreign nationals, and around two-thirds were not permanent residents of Switzerland, according to new federal statistics.
As autumn brings shorter days and longer nights, Switzerland enters the season when burglaries tend to rise. Theft, which includes burglary, is among the most common offences recorded in the country’s latest criminal-conviction statistics. Alongside traffic offences, it accounts for a substantial share of convictions.
In 2025, 7,956 people were convicted of theft, down from 8,355 in 2024, a fall of 4.8%, according to figures published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The offences ranged from pickpocketing and burglary to attacks on cash machines.
Most of those convicted were foreign nationals
Since 2024 Switzerland has recorded the nationality of people convicted of each type of offence. The latest figures show that around 1,500 of those convicted of theft in 2025 were Swiss citizens, while 81% were foreign nationals. Algerians and Romanians featured particularly prominently, together accounting for nearly 32% of theft convictions.
Around two-thirds (66%) of those convicted were not part of Switzerland’s permanent resident population. The figures suggest that people living outside Switzerland account for a substantial share of theft convictions, although they do not establish how many travelled to the country specifically to commit crimes.
Tackling repeat offenders is difficult
Dealing with offenders who travel to Switzerland to commit crimes poses particular challenges for the authorities. In the asylum system, meanwhile, the federal government and cantonal authorities have introduced measures targeting repeat offenders.
The federal government and the cantons have established a task force for repeat offenders, according to a government press release. It makes full use of the legal options available to detain people who commit repeated offences until they leave Switzerland.
The authorities stress that only a small minority of asylum-seekers commit crimes. Even so, the federal government plans to expand detention powers and crack down on repeat offenders under its Asylum Strategy 2027.
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