The interior minister of the unrecognized Transnistrian republic Vadim Krasnoselski said that the crime rate in the towns of the region has increased, Info-Prim Neo’s correspondent in Transnistria reports. The number of such offences as swindle and extortion has increased about twofold since the start of the year, of bribe taking – by 117%, of fiscal evasion – by 350%. Also, the number of rapes and rape attempts has risen by 117%, of banditry and robberies – by 44.4% and 37.6% respectively. Thefts remain the most frequent offences. They make up 17.7% of the total number of offences. Compared with last year, the number of cases of intentional bodily injury has decreased by 21.6%, of murder and murder attempts – by 121%, while of hooliganism – by 7.4%. A number of 1,727 persons suffered the consequences of illegal acts. Out of these, 44 persons have died, while 96 have been seriously injured.