WHILE the ‘E’ Division (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) continues to tackle minor breakages and larceny in communities such as Amelia’s Ward, the categories of serious crimes that have seen decreases range from statutory rape and criminal rape, robbery under arms, kidnapping and murder.
Documents seen by this newspaper while in discussion with Commander of the Division, Superintendent Fazil Karimbaskh, show that the division has seen an 18.4% decrease in serious crimes compared to this same period last year. While residents continue to express concern over reports of break and enter in the communities, this newspaper understands that there is actually a five percent decrease in break and entry and larceny compared to last year.
Commander Karimbaskh is encouraging residents to report cases of break and enter since this would allow the ranks to be more efficient in tackling the perpetrators.
“What we have been doing is that we have been working in collaboration with the Community Policing Groups and we have been policing the communities on a daily basis on a 24 hr basis…they are riding bicycles and when persons gone to work, they see persons may leave their windows open, or there may be an incomplete house with an opening so these boys are seeking the opportunity to go in the house and steal and go away. That is what is going on, not no big breakage to carry away the entire house,” Karimbaskh said.
He is also encouraging residents to be more vigilant and to secure their homes. The Division has ramped up patrols across the communities which include foot patrols, four wheel patrols, motorbike patrols and ATV patrols.
There has also been the introduction of river patrols which traverses the riverine communities in the Demerara River. The Division also continues to embark on social crime prevention programmes and in April, two community groups were formed in Central Mackenzie and Lower Kara Kara.
For 2017, there were seven cases of robbery under arms and five of these cases were brought before the court. There were no reports of any other forms of robbery.
“I feel that the division is performing well, the ranks are placing more emphasis, they are more focused and more dedicated in performing their functions and we have been getting a lot of praises from the community,” Karimbaksh posited.