Despite a 50% increase in murders recorded at the end of January 2013, the Guyana Police Force says there has been an overall decrease of 3% in serious crime compared with the same period in 2012 and road fatalities were also down.
“The total number of reports of serious crimes made during January 2013 was 317 compared to 326 in January 2012,” police said in a press statement. Some of the offences monitored are murder, robbery under arms, robbery with violence, larceny from the person, break and enter and larceny, burglary, rape and kidnapping, it added.
Of the nine murders committed in January, three were of the disorderly type, three were committed during armed robberies, one was domestic related while the other two are so far undetermined. Six murders were committed during the same period last year.
In January 2013, robbery under arms decreased overall by 1%, with 74 reports compared to 73 recorded in January 2012. Statistics indicate an increase, by 19%, in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms; however, there has been a 28% decrease in armed robberies where instruments other than firearms were used.
Regarding traffic offences, there has been a 13% reduction in road fatalities in January 2013, with seven fatalities from six accidents. Drivers of motor vehicles are the main users affected with four of them having lost their lives, along with one pedal cyclist, one pedestrian and one passenger.
During the same period last year there were eight fatalities from eight accidents.
While the statistics have indicated a reduction in other categories of traffic accidents this year, including serious, minor and damage, speeding continues to be a major contributing factor to fatal accidents, causing all six fatal accidents recorded in January. Already, there have been four road fatalities recorded in February from three accidents.
In addition, traffic enforcement by police in January resulted in a total of 6,252 cases being made against errant motorists. Of this number 1,800 cases were for speeding.
