The South African Police Service have reported declines in most categories of crime year-on-year. This is according to crime statistics for April 2011 to March 2012 released by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa on Thursday. Notably the number of murders continued to decline: to 15 609 last year from 15 940 the year before, a decrease of 2.1%. One category of crime that continues to show an increase however is that of business robberies. 15 951 such robberies were reported last year, up from 14 667 the year before - an increase of 8.8%. See table below.
Crime Category |
April 2006 to March 2007 |
April 2010 to March 2011 |
April 2011 to March 2012 |
Year change % --> |
5 Year change % |
CONTACT CRIMES (CRIMES AGAINST A PERSON) |
|||||
Murder |
19 202 --> |
15 940 |
15 609 |
-2.1% |
-18.7% --> |
Total Sexual Crimes |
65 201 |
66 196 |
64 514 --> |
-2.5% |
-1.1% |
Attempted murder |
20 142 |
15 493 |
14 859 |
-4.1% |
-26.2% |
Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm |
218 030 |
198 602 |
192 651 |
-3.0% |
-11.6% |
Common assault |
210 057 |
185 891 |
181 670 |
-2.3% |
-13.5% |
Common robbery |
71 156 |
54 883 |
52 980 |
-3.5% |
-25.5% |
Robbery with aggravating circumstances |
126 558 |
101 463 |
101 203 |
-0.3% |
-20.0% |
CONTACT-RELATED CRIMES |
|||||
Arson |
7 858 |
6 533 |
6 418 |
-1.8% |
-18.3% |
Malicious damage to property |
143 336 |
125 327 |
122 221 |
-2.5% |
-14.7% |
PROPERTY-RELATED CRIMES |
|
|
|
|
|
Burglary at non-residential premises |
58438 |
69082 |
70041 |
1.4% |
19.9% |
Burglary at residential premises |
249665 |
247630 |
245531 |
-0.8% |
-1.7% |
Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle |
86298 |
64504 |
59097 |
-8.4% |
-31.5% |
Theft out of or from motor vehicle |
124029 |
123091 |
130475 |
6.0% |
5.2% |
Stock-theft |
28828 |
30144 |
30949 |
2.7% |
7.4% |
CRIMES HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON POLICE ACTION FOR DETECTION |
|||||
Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition |
14 354 |
14 472 |
14 461 |
-0.1% |
0.7% |
Drug-related crime |
104 689 |
150 673 |
176 307 |
17.0% |
68.4% |
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs |
38 261 |
66 697 |
69 441 |
4.1% |
81.5% |
OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES |
|||||
All theft not mentioned elsewhere |
415 163 |
368 095 |
377 432 |
2.5% |
-9.1% |
Commercial crime |
61 690 |
88 388 |
88 050 |
-0.4% |
42.7% |
Shoplifting |
65 489 |
78 383 |
71 848 |
-8.3% |
9.7% |
SUBCATEGORIES FORMING PART OF AGGRAVATED ROBBERY ABOVE |
|||||
Carjacking |
13 599 |
10 627 |
9 475 |
-10.8% |
-30.3% |
Truck hijacking |
892 |
999 |
821 |
-17.8% |
-8.0% |
Robbery at residential premises |
12 761 |
16 889 |
16 766 |
-0.7% |
31.4% |
Robbery at non-residential premises |
6 689 |
14 667 |
15 951 |
8.8% |
138.5% |
OTHER CRIME CATEGORIES |
|||||
Culpable homicide |
12 871 |
11 974 |
11 788 |
-1.6% |
-8.4% |
Public violence |
1 023 |
1 226 |
1 152 |
-6.0% |
12.6% |
Crimen injuria |
36 747 |
33 308 |
31 858 |
-4.4% |
-13.3% |
Neglect and ill-treatment of children |
4 258 |
3 473 |
2 949 |
-15.1% |
-30.7% |
Kidnapping |
2 345 |
3 604 |
3 874 |
7.5% |
65.2% |
Source: www.saps.gov.za
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