Start of year sees serious crime increase by 7%

(CNS): Five attempted murders in the first three months of 2013 along with four cases of defilement compared to only one arrest for those crimes in the first quarter of 2012, plus a surge in burglaries have all helped to  push up local crime statistics. Figures released by the RCIPS this week show that there were 123 burglaries between January and March this year compared to 98 during the same period in 2012, a more than 25% increase. Despite one less robbery, two less firearms possession and a major fall in cases of wounding and GBH compared to 2012, the 400% increase in attempted murder haspushed up what should have been a fall in violent crime.

As a result of a dramatic fall in the number of thefts reported, domestic violence cases and drug offences, the overall number of crimes has fallen to 519 from 707 in the first quarter of 2012, representing a more than 26.5% fall in crime overall.

Despite dealing with almost 200 less crimes during the start of 2013 than in 2012, the police had to deal with far more serious crimes and detection rates have also dropped off. According to the statistics, so far 170 of the 519 crimes reported this quarter have been solved while during the same period last year the RCIPS detected  more than half of the 707 crimes reported.

Meanwhile, on the roads the police dealt with 100 more traffic offences, not least because of the introduction of the new crime of using a mobile phone while driving, and 242 people were fined for using their phone behind the wheel in the first quarter of the year. Although DUI offences dropped by 36% across the first quarter, from 64 last year to 41 this year, offences such as failing to wear a seatbelt more than doubled. The already high traffic accident rate also increased by 20%, as there were 446 road accidents in Cayman in the first quarter of the year, two of which were fatal.

For full details of the latest crime statistics see document below.