The South African Police Service (SAPS) and Stats South Africa have published the latest crime statistics covering the first quarter of the 2021/22 financial year (April to June 2021).
The data shows red across the board, with crime increasing in all but two categories during the period. Crimes that saw a drop were stock theft (-8.0%) and burglary at non-residential premises (-22.4%).
The vast majority of crime categories saw increases in the double-digits.
The police minister said he didn’t want to ‘sweep away’ the large increases in crime but wanted to rather contextualise the current stats by comparing it to a more ‘normal’ period in 2019. However, even in doing so, crime trends are pointing upwards.
For example, in the three months of reporting for Q1 2021, a 66.2% increase in murder was recorded compared to Q1 2020. Compared to the Q1 2019 period, the murder rate would have increased by 6.7%.
Aggravated robberies such as carjacking increased by 92.2% compared to the previous corresponding period. This figure would have increased by 13.1% if compared to the same period in 2019/2020.
- Contact crimes include murder, attempted murder and sexual offences, as well as common assault and robbery.
- Contact-related crimes include arson and malicious injury to property.
- Other serious crimes include commercial crime, shop-lifting, and other types of theft – while aggravated robbery includes hijackings, robbery at residences, and cash-in-transit heists and bank robberies.
- Crimes detected as a result of police action cover crimes discovered by active policing, such as roadblocks and raids. This category covers the illegal possession of firearms, DUI or driving under the influence (of drugs or alcohol), and the use, possession or trade of illegal drugs.
IMPORTANT POINTS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND FAMILIES
Here's a summary of the stats for Home Owners, Parents and Families.
What is concerning from the report is the increase in robberies at residential premises which increased by 33.4%. Residential robberies are robberies when residents and families are at home and are usually held up at gunpoint, sometimes for extended periods of time. Over the period reported this saw a massive 5346 robberies take place inside residential homes.
In addition, burglary at residential premises increased by 6.3% in the same period. This equates to an unbelievable 39 477 home burglaries.
MANY OF THESE CRIMES COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED
Many of these home invasions, residential robberies and burglaries could have been prevented simply by having a home security system linked to a professional armed response service. It is a known fact that having signboards from a reputable Armed response Company like Fidelity ADT and regular patrols is a massive deterrent for thieves.
However, the peace of mind that comes from knowing that al I have to do is click a button and Armed Reaction Officers will be here faster than the police, provides a great sense of peace and security in a dangerous country.
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