45 000+ cars burnt in France
2006-01-12 21:49
Paris - More than 45 000 cars were burnt in arson attacks last year in France, a quarter of them during the three weeks of riots in November, the interior ministry said on Thursday.
Overall 110 206 "acts of urban violence" were reported by police for the year, including 45 588 car-burnings.
Between October 27 and November 21, 10 346 cars were destroyed by fire.
Overall crime fell by 1.3% last year, but the figure was held down by an increase of 4.97% in crimes against the person, interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy said.
He blamed this on a "rise in agressivity" in society and a greater readiness to report marital violence.
- AFP