Quarterly crime stats paint a grim picture

The latest quarterly crime statistics highlight the reality of the disturbing crime trends in Boksburg, with some of the crimes most feared by the public showing escalating levels in the four Boksburg policing precincts.

Police minister Bheki Cele released the quarterly statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year on May 30. It’s for crimes recorded between January and March this year.
While increases were reported in some of the key violent crime categories in the four Boksburg precincts respectively, the data also show that certain types of crimes remained relatively stable while others subsided.

The figures translate to at least 128 robberies a month; 48 theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles per month; about 10 murders per month; at least 19 rapes per month; and 13 hijackings during the 90 days period.

Boksburg SAPS
In this precinct the latest quarterly crime stats show a significant increase of 17.8% for contact crimes, with 232 recorded cases in the first three months of 2023.

The figures reveal that robbery with aggravating circumstances rate increased by 21.1%. A total of 69 robbery with aggravating circumstances were recorded between January and March.
Murder rose by 11.1%, common robbery 42.9% and common assault up by 23.4%.
Sexual offences were up by 6.3%, with rape showing a 36.4% increase.

The first three months of this year recorded a 16.7% increase in trio crimes overall (carjackings, house robberies and business robberies).
Carjacking is up 44.4%, robbery at residential premises rose by 14.3%, while robbery at non-residential premises decreased by 12.5%.
Truck hijacking also increased by 400%.

An increase was also noted in property related crimes, with 211 cases up from the 172 cases reported in the first three months of 2022.
Burglary at residential premises increased by 41.8%, burglary at non-residential premises up by 52.4%, theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles up by 17.5%. While theft from a motor vehicle slightly decreased to 54 cases compared to the 56 cases reported last year during the same period.

While the precinct has seen a 7.7% decrease in crime detected as a result of police action overall; the station recorded a 26.2% increase in drug-related crimes and 20% increase in illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions.

Boksburg North SAPS
Although the crime levels remain high, the data show that certain types of crimes remained relatively stable and others slightly decreased in the precinct.

The precinct remains the top police station in terms of theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles, with 86 cases reported in the three months. It has also during the period recorded the highest number of robberies with aggravating circumstances, with 101 cases in three months.

The good news is that the data shows a 10.4% decrease from the 96 theft of motor vehicles and motorcycle cases reported during the same period last year. And robbery with aggravating circumstances decreased by 5.6% from the 107 reported during the same period last year.

Contact crime decreased by 10.8% overall in the area.
The murder rate decreased by 66.75%, sexual offences down by 33.3%, common robbery subsided by 57.1% and assault GBH down by 10%, but attempted murder went up by 20%.
The station recorded 74 theft from motor vehicle cases, a 32.7% decrease from the 110 reported same period last year.
The area also recorded 211 cases of theft in general, a 1.4% increase compared to the 208 reported last year. While robbery at residential premises increased by 1200% from one case during the same period in 2022 to 13 cases this year.

A total of 200 commercial crimes were recorded in the three months period, a 7.5% increase compared to the 186 reported last year.
On a positive note, carjacking decreased to 12 cases from the 25 reported same period last year.
Crime detected as a result of police proactive actions decreased to 66 cases from the 104 achieved during the same period last year.
Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition dropped from 19 down to 8, while drug-related crimes rose to 51 cases from the previous 40 cases.

Reiger Park SAPS
Although the station recorded a 29.5% decrease in the contact crime category, the murder rate almost doubled from the previous five cases to nine murders in three months, which translate to at least three murders per month.

There were 22 rapes recorded between January and March in the small precinct of Boksburg, which is a 46.7% increase from the 16 cases reported during the same period the previous year.
A total of 15 robberies with aggravated circumstances cases were reported during the period, a 40% decrease compared to the 25 reported last year during the same period.

Also down were robbery at residential premises by 100%, assault GBH by 28.2%, attempted murder by 47.6% and common robbery by 80%.
Carjacking decreased by 57.1%, and burglary at residential premises increased by 15.4%. The theft of motor vehicles decreased by 66.7%.

Crime detected as a result of police actions increased by 23.7% during the current reporting period compared to the previous.

Detected drug-related crime was up by 32.3%, while the detection of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition decreased by 20%. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs slightly decreased from the previous nine case to 8 cases.

Dawn Park SAPS
This precinct also saw a 13.1% decrease in the contact crimes categories overall, but the numbers still remain high.

The police stations recorded the highest number of murder cases in Boksburg, with 11 cases reported during the three months period.
However, the stats show that the murder rate decreased from the previous 17 cases. It also recorded 18 sexual offences, which represents a decrease compared to the previous 32 cases.

Burglary at residential premises dropped from the previous year’s 85 cases down to 70 cases.
Theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles was down by 43.8%, while robbery at residential premises increased by 88.9%.

Theft increased from the previous 72 cases to 92 cases, while carjacking dropped from 16 cases to 11 cases.
The total of crimes detected as a result of police actions decreased from 95 cases to 64 cases. In this category, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition cases rose from the previous two cases to eight.

Also Read: Armed robbery, house robbery and hijacking reported at the Boksburg North SAPS

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