A German Police Union has said around 10 per cent of migrants to Germany are “delinquent”. He said those prone to criminality come mainly from the Balkans and Africa, but singled out Georgia in particular for sending organised burglary gangs.

The Federation of German Detectives (BDK) has observed the rise in crime at the same time as the growing influx of migrants to Germany. News magazine Focus reports André Schulz, national chairman, saying that statistics from Germany’s federal states show the 10 per cent figure. He added:

“A set of young men come here without prospects and remain without prospects. These are risk factors for delinquency. Germans in the same circumstances would act exactly the same.”

Mr Schulz said that he did not want to generalise, however citing the example of arrests for theft made in Brunswick he did say that generally it is not those migrants from war zones who are committing the crimes. He said:

“They aren’t Syrians, nor Afghans or Iraqis, but young men from the Balkans, the Caucasus and North, West and Central Africa. They are usually people who are already known as offenders in their home countries.”

Mr Schulz gave the specific example of organised crime from Georgia in the form of gangs of burglars who have been responsible for thefts of over €1 million, something about which the Federal Criminal Police (BKA) has also spoken.

“There are young men recruited in Georgia specifically to commit burglaries and shoplifting. Then they come here to register and apply for asylum in the certainty that they can live her legally for a year. You get some pocket money, accommodation, but that is not why you are here. You are here to commit crime. We are talking about more than 1,000 people.”

Mr Schulz is not optimistic about beating the organised crime gangs. He points out it is extremely difficult to identify the gang structures and then combat them, saying:

“Many a network is smashed, but then it regrows.”