New Year sees 6% drop in serious crimes but robberies and rape figures remain high
In its first report on crime for the year, the Police Force today stated that at the end of January 2016, a 6% decrease in serious crimes was recorded, in comparison to the same period in 2015.
The Guyana Police Force believes its ongoing efforts to arrest the crime situation in the country may now finally be paying off.
In its first report on crime for the year, the Police Force today stated that at the end of January 2016, a 6% decrease in serious crimes was recorded, in comparison to the same period in 2015.
According to the Police, that decrease “could be attributed to a number of factors including the higher level of networking and activities of the Joint Services under “Operation Dragnet” which was launched on December 01, 2015; along with capacity building of the Police Force under the five-point strategy to deal with crime which was outlined by His Excellency President David Granger, MSS, and which has seen an increase in manpower and training in the Criminal Investigation Department and the increased deployment of ranks in the Police “F” Division; intelligence-led policing and improved cooperation from the public.”
But the Police Force also reported that there was a total of 14 murders recorded at the end of January 2016, in comparison to 13 murders at the end of January 2015.
Of the 14 murders in January this year, 5 were committed during robberies, 3 were domestic related and 6 were of the disorderly type.
However, the Force said that diligent investigations have led to a number of persons being arrested and charged in 8 of the 14 incidents of murder in January this year, while investigations are continuing into the others.
Robbery under arms overall has increased by 5% in comparison to the same period in 2015. However, the statistics indicate a decrease of 13% in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms; while there was a 50% increase in relation to the number of armed robberies where instruments other than firearms were used by the perpetrators.
The statistics have revealed that there has been an increase of 4% in the number of reports of rape, with 26 reports at the end of January this year compared to 25 for the same period last year.
Break and Enter and Larceny and Burglary have shown an overall decrease of 8% and at the end of January this year, a total of 6 illegal firearms were recovered by the police comprising 4 pistols and 2 revolvers.
In relation to domestic violence, at the end of January 2016 a total of 274 reports were made from which 176 cases resulted.
