Chin Lee: Drop in serious crimes

MINISTER of National Security Howard Chin Lee admitted yesterday that while murders and kidnappings have increased this year, in general, serious crimes for the year have decreased. Records from the police indicate that for the period Jan 1, 2002 to May 2002, 6,745 serious crimes were committed. During the same period this year the figure decreased to 6,516. According to Minister Chin Lee, Government is seriously concerned with the spate of gang-related murders in Laventille and the use of illegal weapons in those murders. He added that residents of Laventille will see additional joint police/army patrols. He pointed out that more vehicles will be allocated to officers based at VMVOTT who are involved in the patrols. The Minister also revealed that plans are afoot to also increase the strength of the police and army officers taking part in the special patrols at Laventille. He issued another call to members of the public to cooperate with the officers involved in those patrols and pass on any key information which could lead to crimes being solved. According to Minister Chin Lee, more training will be provided for officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and the squad will be beefed up shortly.

Police figures indicate that from January to May 2002, 58 murders were committed compared to 94 up until May 2003. Kidnapping  for ransom moved from 15 last year to 18 up until May. Rapes, incest and sexual offences dropped from 272 last year May to 235 this year. Records also revealed that burglaries and break-ins also dropped this year. Last year up until May,  2,086 burglaries and break-ins took place while this year the figure decreased to 1,856. Robberies decreased from 1,804 last year to 1,697 this year. Up until the end of May, larceny of motor vehicles decreased to 1,288 while last year 1,304 were reported. Larceny from dwelling houses deceased slightly this year. During the same period last year there were 161 reports of larceny from dwelling houses compared to 152 this year. Most of the crime took place in the Port-of-Spain Division and more than 50 percent of the murders were gang-related.