THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) yesterday said that a total of 94 murders were recorded at the end of July 2015, in comparison to 80 murders at the end of July 2014. This increases the murder rate by 18%, as at August 13, 2015, four additional murders have been recorded. There has been an increase of 68% in the number of reports of rape, with 243 reports at the end of July this year, compared to 145 for the same period last year.

Break-and-enter and larceny and burglary have shown an overall increase of 9%.

At the end of July 2015, robbery under arms overall had decreased by 2% in comparison to the same period in 2014.

The statistics indicate a decrease of 4% in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms; while the number of armed robberies where instruments other than firearms were used by the perpetrators has increased by 3%.
As at the end of July 2015, a total of 74 illegal firearms had been recovered by the police. Those comprised one sub-machine gun; 43 pistols, 18 revolvers; five shotguns; six rifles and one pen gun. As at the end of July 2014, a total of 46 illegal firearms had been recovered by the police.

Among the serious crimes being policed by the GPF are murder, robbery under arms, robbery with violence, robbery with aggravation, larceny from the person, break and enter and larceny, burglary, rape, and kidnapping.

Traffic
In relation to traffic offences, 71 road fatalities from 58 accidents have been recorded at the end of July 2015, in comparison to 67 fatalities from 61 accidents for the same period in 2014.

There have been decreases in all other categories of road accidents – serious, minor and damage.

Pedestrians have so far been the main category of road-users affected in road fatalities, with 25 such persons having lost their lives by the end of July 2015. In addition, 6 pedal cyclists, 18 persons in motor vehicles, 10 motor cyclists, nine drivers, two pillion riders and one person who was being towed on a bicycle also lost their lives.

Speeding has been the major contributory factor to fatal accidents, having been the cause of 29 of the 58 fatal accidents unto July 2015.

Traffic enforcement by the police has resulted in a total of 31,201 cases being made against errant motorists at the end of July, 2015.
Of this amount, 13,129 cases were for speeding, 942 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 362 for using cellphones while driving, and 873 for failing to wear seat belts.

As at August 13, 2015, there have been five road fatalities recorded for August 2015. This compares to fourteen for the same period last year.

The Guyana Police Force is once more urging motorists to reduce their speed when using the roadways, and to take cognisance of the five Cs of defensive driving :– care, commonsense, courtesy, caution and consideration.

By Michel Outridge