Armenia moves to criminalize pickpocketing

The government approved a draft law proposing to criminalize pickpocketing in Armenia at Thursday’s meeting.

Justice Minister Artak Zeynalyan, who presented the bill at today’s session, cited the sharp increase in pickpocketing cases as the reason behind the legislative measure initiated by Deputy Justice Minister Artak Asatryan.

“Pickpocketing makes up around 65 percent of all the thefts being committed in Armenia. It also includes thefts in the public transport,” the minister said in a post on Facebook following the Cabinet meeting.

He next unveiled statistics, according to which criminal proceedings have been launched against 5,160 people in these years over pickpocketing, with only 119 perpetrators brought to criminal responsibility.

He also stressed the victims of pickpockets are actually more than those who report police officers about such cases.