Molestation cases on the rise in Singapore as physical crimes increase 4.4% in 2025

Despite the drop in such cases, the police urged members of the public to remain vigilant.

“They should try to remember key details such as the perpetrator’s appearance and any devices involved,” said SPF, adding that the public should avoid confronting the offenders on their own and call the police instead.

Responding to CNA’s queries, the police also provided statistics for violent crimes, namely murder and knife-related incidents. 

There were seven murder cases in 2025, down from 10 in 2024. The suspects in all seven cases have been identified, and five of the cases involved known culprits to the victims.

The number of knife-related crimes has remained relatively stable over the past three years, SPF said. There were 137 such incidents in 2025, compared with 131 in 2024 and 117 in 2023. In most of the case, the victims knew the culprits.

Separately, the number of housebreaking cases decreased by 8.5 per cent from 118 cases in 2024 to 108 in 2025. These accounted for about 0.5 per cent of total physical crime cases.

Nearly half of the housebreaking cases occurred on residential premises, with an “even mix” between private and public residences, the police said.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Leon Chan, director of the operations department, said crime in Singapore remains under control.

“With the support of stakeholders and the public, we are confident of maintaining Singapore’s low crime rates and ensuring that Singapore remains as one of the world’s safest cities,” he added.