POLICE COMMISSIONER Francis Forbes yesterday said there has been a reduction of murders in the Corporate Area, and a significant rise in the cleared up rate of serious crimes committed islandwide.
According to the Commissioner, up to December 7, there were 6,292 reports of major crimes, down from 7,501 in the corresponding period last year.
"This is the lowest number of major crimes being reported over past 10 years. The figures fluctuate over the previous years, averaging about 10,000 per year," he told The Gleaner.
He adds that 51 per cent of the crimes in the current period have been cleared up.
The Commissioner had high praise for the anti-drug campaign which led to the reduction in the number of persons or 'swallowers' smuggling narcotics to the United Kingdom.
Police records have also shown that there has been a significant increase in the seizure and removal of illegal guns. Some 504 illegal guns were confiscated, 61 more than the number seized over the corresponding period last year.
"What is significant is that we have seized 24 rifles this year, 10 sub-machine guns and 235 semi-automatic pistols. At the same time last year we had seized 19 rifles, 11 sub-machine guns and 219 pistols," said Commissioner Forbes.
