Nine-month crime reports were mixed for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, showing improvement in some key areas but worsening in others.
Crime statistics between January and September 2010 showed an overall 3.4 per cent drop in serious crimes.
However, volume crimes rose by nearly 36 per cent when compared to the previous year. Overall crime rose nearly 10 per cent for the first nine months of the year compared to the same period in 2009.
There were some highlights for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service in a year which has seen increasing public concern about crime and the service’s ability to handle it.
Burglary cases dropped nearly 9 per cent over the nine months in 2010 compared to the same period in 2009. Reports of grievous bodily injury assaults fell by nearly 20 per cent over that same period.
Meanwhile, there was a significant increase in the number of robberies – some 86 per cent over last year. According to the RCIPS, 54 robberies were reported through the first nine moths of this year, compared to 29 during the same period last year.
Attempted robberies also increased, and thefts were up nearly 60 per cent over the first nine months of 2010.
“The fall in serious crime in layman’s terms equates to 22 fewer victims of serious crime in the Cayman Islands; that’s got to be good news for our communities,” said Deputy Police Commissioner Stephen Brougham. “However, we are still concerned about the rise in robbery incidents and the huge increase in volume crimes such as theft and [common] assault.”
Mr. Brougham said significant progress has been made in of some of the robbery cases; several of those matters are due to be taken up in court.
“Theft offences have risen by 57.22 per cent, but the fact is that most thefts are opportunistic, and by taking a few simple precautions people can drastically reduce the chances of them becoming a victim of this type of crime,” Mr. Brougham said.
Police also recorded five instances of discharge of firearms and three cases of imitation firearm possession in 2010. In 2009, neither of those crimes had been reported as of 30 September.
Traffic-related statistics improved. Overall offences dropped by about 13 per cent, and police handed out about 20 per cent fewer speeding tickets.
Police also ticketed fewer people for drink driving and seatbelt offences.
“The fact that fewer traffic offences are being committed is also good news – it shows that our high visibility approach on the roads is helping to get the message across to many of our motorists,” Mr. Brougham said.
Through the first nine months of this year there were five fatal accidents compared with two during the same period last year.
There have been more deadly accidents on the roads this year than for all of 2009. However, the total is well below the 14 traffic deaths in Cayman in 2006. Eleven traffic-related fatalities occurred in both 2007 and 2008.
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