Highway’s quarterly crime stats show massive decrease during Covid-19

AS reported by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, in a statement regarding the decrease across all major crimes in South Africa, the Highway area’s police stations showed a massive decrease across most areas of serious crimes during the hard lockdown.

“The first quarter figures are from 1 April 2020 to 3 June 2020. This is the same period when the country was under lockdown level five and four and also reflects crime that took place in the first month of lockdown level 3. These statistics show major decreases in all crime categories compared to the same comparative period last year,” said Cele.

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Hillcrest:

There were 10 cases of murder reported at Hillcrest SAPS between April to June this year, a 25 per cent decrease against the stats from the same quarter in 2019.

Ten cases of attempted murder were reported, a zero per cent increase since last year.

There were three reported cases of rape, a decrease of 81.30 per cent when compared to last quarter’s statistics.

Car jacking decreased by 75 per cent, from four cases in 2019 to one case in 2019.

Robbery at residential premises decreased from 29 cases to five cases and burglary at residential premises decreased by 93 cases, from 236 to 143.

The illegal possession of firearm and ammunition cases decreased by 75 per cent, from 12 to three.

Mariannhill:

When compared to the April to June quarter statistics for 2019, there was a 35.5 per cent decrease in murder cases, from 31 to 20. The attempted murder cases dropped from 28 to 23 during the same period.

Rape decreased from 18 reported cases to 14 reported cases.

Carjacking dropped by 33 per cent from 33 to 11 cases.

Robbery at residential premises decreased by three cases, from 21 in 2019 to 18 in 2020 and burglary at residential premises also decreased, from 102 cases to 86 cases.

The illegal possession of firearms and ammunition cases increased from six to seven cases.

Pinetown:

Murder cases dropped in the Pinetown area, from eight cases to six and attempted murder cases decreased by 36.40 per cent, from 11 to seven.

Rape decreased by 37.50 per cent, from eight reported cases to five cases.

Car jacking dropped from 28 cases in the April to June statistics in 2019 to nine cases during the same period in 2020.

Robbery at residential premises dropped by 68.20 per cent, from 44 to 12 cases and burglary at residential premises dropped by 96 cases, from 216 to 120.

There was no increase in the reported cases of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition cases. It remained the same at five cases.

Westville:

Murder decreased in the Westville area by 100 per cent, from one case to zero and a 75 per cent decrease in attempted murder cases, from four cases to one.

Rape cases dropped by one, from five reported cases to four.

Carjacking decreased by 100 per cent, from four cases to zero.

Robbery at residential premises decreased from 12 cases to 11, an 8.30 per cent drop. Burglary at residential premises increased from 58 cases to 80 when compared to the April to June’s 2019 statistics.

There were still zero reported cases of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Bellair:

Murder decreased by 100 per cent, from one reported case in 2019 to zero cases in 2020 while attempted murder increased by 100 per cent, from one case to two.

Rape decreased by 50 per cent when compared to the quarterly stats from 2019, from two cases to one case.

Carjacking decreased by 71.40 per cent, from seven cases to two cases.

Robbery at residential premises dropped by 17 cases, from 19 to two. and burglary at residential premises dropped by 55 per cent, from 60 cases to 27.

The illegal possession of firearms and ammunition decreased by 100 per cent, from two cases to zero.

ALSO READ: Crime stats show spike in murder cases across Highway area

Malvern:

There was one murder reported in Malvern, a zero per cent increase when compared to the same three-month period in 2019 while there was a 100 per cent increase in attempted murder cases, from two to four.

Reported rape cases dropped from two to one.

Carjacking decreased by 20 per cent, from five cases to four.

Robbery at residential premises saw a zero per cent increase as there were nine cases reported during both three month periods in 2019 and 2020. Burglary at residential premises saw a a drop from 93 cases to 29 cases.

The illegal possession of firearms and ammunition increased from zero cases to one case.

Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting

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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.

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