The Police yesterday said that serious crime was down 6% in January this year compared to the same period last year. However, there was one more murder and traffic deaths were also up.
An abridged version of the police press release issued yesterday follows:
The statistics in relation to the offences of murder and robbery under arms at the end of January 2016 with corresponding statistics for the same period in 2015 are attached.
Among the serious crimes policed by the Force are murder, robbery under arms, robbery with violence, robbery with aggravation, larceny from the person, break and enter and larceny, burglary, rape, and kidnapping.
At the end of January 2016 the Guyana Police Force recorded a 6% decrease in serious crimes in comparison to the same period in 2015. This can 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.
A SWAT team along with ranks of the Major Crimes Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department have been despatched to “B” Division (Berbice) in order to strengthen policing activities in the Division.
A total of 14 murders were recorded at the end of January 2016, in comparison to 13 murders at the end of January 2015, an increase of 8%. Of the 14 murders in January this year 5 were committed during robberies, 3 were domestic related and 6 were of the disorderly type.
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.
At the end of January 2016 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%.
At the end of January this year, a total of 6 illegal firearms have been recovered by the police comprising 4 pistols and 2 revolvers. This compares to a total of 3 illegal firearms that were recovered unto this time last year.
In relation to domestic violence, at the end of January 2016 a total of 274 reports were made from which 176 cases resulted.
In relation to traffic, 7 road fatalities from 7 accidents have been recorded at the end of January 2016, in comparison to 5 fatalities from 5 accidents for the same period in 2015, an increase of 40%. There have been decreases in the other categories of traffic accidents comprising serious, minor and damage.
Pedestrians has been the main category of road users affected so far in road fatalities with 4 such persons having lost their lives at the end of January 2016. In addition 1 pedal cyclist, 1 driver and 1 pillion rider also lost their lives.
Speeding has been the major contributory factor to fatal accidents, having been the cause of 4 of the 7 fatal accidents at the end of January 2016.
Traffic enforcement by the police has resulted in a total of 6,012 cases for this year being made against errant motorists at the end of January 2016; of this total 2,566 cases were for speeding, 304 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 84 for using cell phone while driving and 199 for failing to wear seat belt.
Up to yesterday Wednesday February 10, 2016, a total of 3 more persons had lost their lives from 3 fatal accidents.
The Police Traffic Department is once more urging that all persons use the roadways in a manner that is cognisant of the five Cs – Care, Consideration, Caution, Common Sense and Courtesy.
The Traffic Department has intensified its enforcement activities with special focus on speeding and driving under the influence, in addition to other offences such as driving motor cycles without safety helmets and using cell phones while driving a motor vehicle.
