ZURICH (Bloomberg) - Swiss executives reported more theft of intellectual property after the theft of Liechtenstein bank data increased awareness of such assets, forensic accountants at PricewaterhouseCoopers AG (PwC) said, citing their own survey of economic crime.

Reports of counterfeiting, of research and development theft as well as the loss of wealthy people's data increased in the 12 months through June, said Rolf Schatzmann, a partner at PwC. He could not describe the size of the change, because the Zurich-based firm's previous survey was over 24 months.

German prosecutors opened almost 1,000 investigations to collect back taxes, after a former employee of LGT Group, the Liechtenstein royal family's bank, sold account information to German authorities last year.

"Company executives are more aware of these sorts of crimes after reports of data theft from Liechtenstein, LGT," Mr. Schatzmann, the 55-year-old former head of Switzerland's security service said in an interview in Zurich yesterday.