Durban - Trio crimes and the theft of motor vehicles have decreased considerably in the Durban North Policing Precinct.
This was revealed when the South African Police Service briefed the Portfolio Committee on Police (PCOP) on the 2018/19 annual crime statistics in Parliament on Thursday.
The statistics are for all crime reported for the period between 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019.
Minister of Police Bheki Cele said the crime statistics is presented cover 21 crime categories, namely 17 Community reported crimes and four other crime categories detected as a result of police action.
He said the scope of the crimes was reported at all 1154 police stations, including satellite stations and ports of entry nationwide.
All crimes were either reported by the victim, witness, third-parties or detected by members of the South African Police Service.
"The 2018/2019 annual crime statistics were declared as official statistics in line with prescripts of the South African Statistical Quality Assessment Framework (SASQAF). This stamp of approval will finally put to rest questions of the authenticity and legitimacy of the Crime Statistics,"said Cele.
The police made available statistics of crimes such as murder, sexual offences, attempted murder, assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, common assault, common robbery and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The Durban North Police cover a vast area stretching from the northern banks of the Umgeni River to Cornubia and uMhlanga bordered by the ocean, Kenneth Kaunda (Northway Road) and the N2 freeway
According to the stats crimes which impacted on the suburb were
- Common assault 154 (2017/2018)- 167 (2018/2019)
- Common robbery 13 (2017/2018) to 22 (2018/2019)
- Robbery aggravating circumstances: 114 (2017/2018) cases reported. This was four cases less than the previous year.
- Car-jackings: 3 (2017/2018) to 5 (2018/2019)
- Robbery at residential premises (house robbery) 56 (2017/2018) 50 (2018/2019) reported cases. In 2012/2013, 64 cases were reported.
- Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle: 352 (2017/2018) to 250 (2018/2019) .
- Malicious damage to property: 94 (2017/2018) 50 (2018/2019). In 2010/2011, 241 cases were reported.
- Burglary 340 (2017/2018) to 318 (2018/2019).
- Theft out of or from motor vehicle: 340 (2017/2018) to 259 (2018/2019).
- Commercial crime: 431(2017/2018) to 532 (2018/2019).
- Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs:282 (2017/2018) to 419 (2018/2019).