Measures to combat theft of other people’s property after the end of the war in the Soviet state

After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet state experienced an increase in crime, which was caused by various factors (the presence of unaccounted weapons in the hands of residents of the country, a decrease in the standard of living, the weakening of police personnel, etc.). If we keep in mind the structure of crime, then socially dangerous acts against property (other people's property) had a noticeable increase. The article presents an analysis of the main trends in the sphere of combating property crimes in the USSR during the five post-war years. The relevant legislative acts determining responsibility for theft of other people's property, archival documents, scientific publications that touch on the stated topic are analyzed. It is noted that the Soviet government was very seriously concerned about the criminal situation in the country during the period under review for the specified types of crimes, as evidenced by the adoption of two laws at once (Decrees of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR), issued in 1947 ("On criminal liability for theft of state and public property" and "On strengthening the protection of personal property of citizens"). Examples of major crimes are given, in particular, we are talking about the grandiose fraud of the largest business swindler of that N.M. Pavlenko. The measures taken by the Soviet government managed to take control of the criminal situation in the country.