THE Guyana Police Force has announced that the country has recorded an eight percent decrease in robberies under arms for the period January to June, 2018.
In a statement last evening the organisation noted that for the same period last year 304 robberies under arms were committed with the use of firearms compared to 298 this year and which represents a decrease of two percent. A 28 percent decrease was recorded for robberies under arms where instruments other than firearms were used with this year’s numbers at 116 compared to 161 for last year. Overall, there were 420 robberies under arm this year compared to 459 last year for the same period.

There was also a decrease of nine percent of serious crimes for the period mentioned above, according to the police. As of June 30 this year, there were 44 murders against 59 last year; a 25 percent decrease. The other areas are as follows for the corresponding period last year. Robbery – eight percent decrease; robbery with violence – five percent decrease; robbery with aggravation – 21percent decrease; larceny from person 30 percent decrease; rape – nine percent decrease; break and enter and larceny 10percent decrease. Generally there was a nine percent decrease in serious crimes.

A total of 67 firearms were seized this year as of June 30, 2018 compared to 69 last year for the same period. ‘A’ Division was in the lead for seizures with 31 followed by “F’ Division with 14 while the other divisions shared the remainder. There was a 25percent decrease in murder for the first half of the year with ‘C’ Division in the lead with 12 murders while the other divisions shared the remainder.