PARKVIEW – While crime increased in the Parkview police precinct over the last year, the annual crime statistics showed notable decreases in some crimes, and surges in others.
Station commander Colonel Nanda Moodley said he was “quite happy” with his station’s statistics when compared with others.
While the figures showed a decrease in murder, sexual crimes and common assault, cases of attempted murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, common robbery and robbery with aggravating circumstances had increased.
Moodley said swift police action may have contributed to the decrease in assault cases.
Common robbery increased from 51 cases in 2012 to 93 in 2013, and robbery with aggravating circumstances increased from 194 to 214.
While no cases of arson had been reported in 2012, three cases were reported in 2013.
Burglary of non-residential premises had decreased from 120 to 115, but burglary of residential premises had increased from 408 to 539, theft of motor vehicles from 321 to 417, and theft out of motor vehicles from 435 to 541.
“With regard to housebreaking, some of it was due to negligence. People don’t set their alarms, or leave their gates open, which is asking for trouble,” said Moodley.
“Theft out of motor vehicles isn’t necessarily someone breaking into a car and stealing the radio. Smash and grabs also make up part of this statistic. These can happen at traffic lights during peak hour traffic, but they can also happen after big events, when people are leaving the venue and there aren’t any security guards around.”
Moodley said his staff had worked hard to sensitise residents about vehicle-related crime, so it wasn’t necessarily locals who had been affected by theft of or theft out of motor vehicles.
Crimes heavily dependent on police action for detection, such as illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and drug-related crime, remained stable, with the exception of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
In 2012, the station showed 143 counts of driving under the influence; a figure that climbed to 336 in 2013.
Moodley attributed this to assistance from Metro police.
Car hijacking decreased from 15 to 11, and business robbery decreased from 22 to 13, but house robberies increased from 89 to 92.
“I think a big part of the decrease in some of the crimes is because, now that we have a fully-fledged crime office, we’re able to give immediate attention to dockets,” said Moodley.
