The annual SAPS crime statistics, released on Friday, last week, have revealed a decrease in violent crime committed in Brakpan.
Compared with the previous year’s statistics, the latest figures, from April 2015 to March this year, show a decline in crimes such as murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, assault GBH and hijacking.
There was, however, an increase in drug-related crimes, arson and theft out of or from a motor vehicle.
The full statistics are as follows:
Contact crimes (crimes against a person)
• Murder decreased from 14 cases the previous year to 11
• Sexual offences decreased from 74 to 72
• Attempted murder increased from 34 to 36
• Assault GBH decreased from 154 to 150
• Common assault increased from 369 to 400
• Common robbery decreased from 122 to 116
• Robbery with aggravating circumstances decreased from 310 to 288
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Contact-related crimes
• Arson increased from four cases the previous year to seven
• Malicious damage to property decreased from 285 to 274.
Property-related crimes
• Burglary at non-residential premises increased from 199 cases the previous year to 204
• Burglary at residential premises decreased from 792 to 684
• Theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles decreased from 268 to 242
• Theft out of or from motor vehicles increased from 258 to 293
• Stock theft decreased from 12 to eight
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Crime detected as a result of police action
• Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition increased from 22 cases the previous year to 25
• Drug-related crimes increased from 305 to 388
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased from 146 to 316
• Sexual offences as a result of police action decreased from four to three
Other serious crimes
• Theft increased from 962 cases the previous year to 1 069
• Commercial crime decreased from 273 to 235
• Shoplifting increased from 209 to 210
Subcategories of aggravated robbery
• Carjacking decreased from 57 cases the previous year to 45
• Truck hijacking decreased from 10 to three
• Robbery at residential premises decreased from 64 to 53
• Robbery at non-residential premises increased from 46 to 54.
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