Latest crime stats for Bekkersdal: The good, bad and ugly

The police recently revealed the crime statistics for 2018/ 2019 and as always there were the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good news is that murder in Bekkersdal has decreased by 38 per cent while other crimes that have shown a big drop include contact sexual offences, theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles, and arson.

The bad news, however, is that crimes such as attempted murder, common robbery and assault, malicious damage to property, driving under the influence or drugs, to name just a few have shown an increase, while the ugly part is attempted sexual offences, commercial crime and theft out of or from a motor vehicle increased by 100 per cent or more.

Below are the latest crime statistics for Bekkersdal only.

PLEASE NOTE: Information made available by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Stats SA — Editor.

The following crimes have shown an increase:

CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON:

• Attempted murder by 50 per cent (from 24 in 2017/ 2018 to 36 in 2018/ 2019)

• Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm by 19,2 per cent (from 219 in 2017/ 2018 to 261 in 2018/ 2019)

• Common assault by 64,2 per cent (from 95 in 2017/ 2018 to 156 in 2018/ 2019)

• Common robbery by 68,4 per cent (from 19 in 2017/ 2018 to 32 in 2018/ 2019)

SEXUAL OFFENCES:

• Attempted sexual offences by 100 per cent (from 1 in 2017/ 2018 to 2 in 2018/ 2019)

CONTACT-RELATED CRIMES:

• Malicious damage to property by 61,5 per cent (from 65 in 2017/ 2018 to 105 in 2018/ 2019)

PROPERTY-RELATED CRIMES:

• Burglary at residential premises by 18,7 per cent (from 203 in 2017/ 2018 to 241 in 2018/ 2019)

• Theft out of or from a motor vehicle by 126,7 per cent (from 30 in 2017/ 2018 to 68 in 2018/ 2019)

OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES:

• All theft not mentioned elsewhere by 3,3 per cent (from 151 in 2017/ 2018 to 156 in 2018/ 2019)

• Commercial crime by 141,7 per cent (from 12 in 2017/ 2018 to 29 in 2018/ 2019)

CRIME DETECTED AS A RESULT OF POLICE ACTION:

• Drug-related crime by 23,7 per cent (from 405 in 2017/ 2018 to 501 in 2018/ 2019)

• Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition by 40,5 per cent (from 37 in 2017/ 2018 to 52 in 2018/ 2019)

The following crimes have shown a decrease:

CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON:

• Murder by 38 per cent (from 50 in 2017/ 2018 to 31 in 2018/ 2019)

• Sexual offences by 3,2 per cent (from 95 in 2017/ 2018 to 92 in 2018/ 2019)

• Robbery with aggravating circumstances by 6,4 per cent (from 171 in 2017/ 2018 to 160 in 2018/ 2019)

SEXUAL OFFENCES:

• Rape by 2,3 per cent (from 86 in 2017/ 2018 to 84 in 2018/ 2019)

• Sexual assault by 14,3 per cent (from 7 in 2017/ 2018 to 6 in 2018/ 2019)

• Contact sexual offences by 100 per cent (from 1 in 2017/ 2018 to 0 in 2018/ 2019)

AGGRAVATED ROBBERY:

• Carjacking by 18,6 per cent (from 43 in 2017/ 2018 to 35 in 2018/ 2019)

• Robbery at residential premises by 18,9 per cent (from 37 in 2017/ 2018 to 30 in 2018/ 2019)

• Truck hijacking by 8,3 per cent (from 12 in 2017/ 2018 to 11 in 2018/ 2019)

CONTACT-RELATED CRIMES:

• Arson by 60 per cent (from 5 in 2017/ 2018 to 2 in 2018/ 2019)

PROPERTY-RELATED CRIMES:

• Burglary at non-residential premises by 13,9 per cent (from 72 in 2017/ 2018 to 62 in 2018/ 2019)

• Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle by 50 per cent (from 82 in 2017/ 2018 to 41 in 2018/ 2019)

• Stock theft by 8,3 per cent (from 12 in 2017/ 2018 to 11 in 2018/ 2019)

CRIME DETECTED AS A RESULT OF POLICE ACTION:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs by 24,4 per cent (from 172 in 2017/ 2018 to 130 in 2018/ 2019)

*Read the Herald’s 27 September edition for exclusive interviews with our Randfontein, Westonaria and Bekkersdal Police station commanders about the latest crime statistics.