Acting Police Commissioner (left) and his team have reported that crime, including homicides/murders, are down, according to third-quarter stats.
Crime overall in Saint Lucia, particularly homicides and murders, have decreased.
That’s according to the Third Quarter Crime Statistics Report 2015 revealed by Acting Police Commissioner Errol Alexander and his team at a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 29.
“There was an overall decrease in the number of crimes reported and accepted, with an overall (2%) improvement in detection rate,” the report stated.
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During the period under review, a total of 13,665 incidents of crime were reported to the police, a decrease of 7 percent:
2014 – 14,763
2015 – 13,665
Summary offences, property crimes and offences against the person accounted for 95 percent of the total reported crimes.
Homicide are down by 16 percent and murders are down by 13 percent.
HOMICIDES
Jan – Sept 2014 – 25
Jan – Sept 2015 – 21
MURDERS
Jan – Sept 2014 – 23
Jan – Sept 2015 – 20
POLICE SHOOTINGS
2014 – 2
2015 – 1
Sexual offences and crimes against persons were the only major crime categories which recorded an increased number of accepted cases, the report stated. The number of rape cases increased by 11.
Other major findings in the report are as follows:
– There was a significant reduction in the number of firearm offences – 38%
– The northern sector accounted for the highest number of reports with 38%, the southern sector with 35% and the central sector with 27%.
– There was a reduction in the number of homicides and murders with only one police shooting recorded thus far.
– Castries recorded the highest number of murders which can be attributed to gang violence.
– Wounding and harm offences were significantly higher than any other in offences against the person category.
– Overall offences against the person recorded a 5% increase in detection.
– There was a decrease in the detection rate of firearm offences. This may be attributed to an increase in discharging firearm cases, where most of the offenders are not known.
– Detection rate decreased by 11% for sexual offences.
– There was an overall reduction in offences against property.
– Burglary, stealing from person and unlawful damage recorded the highest number of cases however there were reductions in the number of reports compared to 2014.
– There was a decrease in the number of drug-related reports with an increase in the detection rate. Possession of cannabis and intent to supply cannabis continue to remain the highest recorded drug offence.
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