The first quarter crime statistics were released on August 28, reflecting crimes reported to SAPS from April to June this year.

While there was a decline in many crimes in Brakpan, the stats still paint a grim picture. The local police station also featured on the national and provincial top 30 lists in the following categories:

• Contact sexual offences: position 25 provincially.
• Crimen injuria: position 21 provincially. This is despite a significant decline in the number of cases reported. There was a decrease from 24 to eight.
• Culpable homicide: position 28 provincially. There was a decrease in cases from nine to seven.
• Truck hijacking: position 18 nationally and position 16 provincially.
  The full stats for Brakpan are as follows and are compared to the same time period as the previous year:

Contact crimes (crimes against a person)

• Murder increased from one case the previous year to four.
• Sexual offences decreased from 14 to 11.
• Attempted murder decreased from eight to five.
• Assault GBH increased from 18 to 22.
• Common assault increased from 46 to 59.
• Common robbery increased from eight to 14.
• Robbery with aggravating circumstances decreased from 91 to 74.
  Total contact crimes increased from 186 to 189.

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Sexual offences

• Rape decreased from nine cases the previous year to eight.
• Sexual assault decreased from three to two.
• Attempted sexual offences remained the same with no cases reported.
• Contact sexual offences decreased from two to one.

Some subcategories of aggravated robbery

• Carjacking decreased from 22 cases the previous year to 19.
• Robbery at residential premises increased from 12 to 13.
• Robbery at non-residential premises decreased from 10 to seven.
• Trio crime decreased from 44 to 39.
• Robbery of cash-in-transit vehicle remained the same and no cases were reported.
• Bank robbery remained the same and no cases were reported.
• Truck hijacking decreased from six to four.

Contact-related crimes

• Arson decreased from one case the previous year to none.
• Malicious damage to property increased from 33 to 50.
  Total contact-related crimes increased from 34 to 50.

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Property-related crimes

• Burglary at non-residential premises increased from 13 cases the previous year to 17.
• Burglary at residential premises decreased from 66 to 57.
• Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle increased from 36 to 41.
• Theft out of or from motor vehicle decreased from 35 to 31.
• Stock theft remained the same and no cases were reported.
  Total property-related crimes decreased from 150 to 146.

Other serious crimes

• All theft not mentioned elsewhere decreased from 152 cases the previous year to 110.
• Commercial crime increased from 101 to 113.
• Shoplifting increased from 30 to 34.
  Total other serious crimes decreased from 283 to 257.
  Total 17 community reported serious crimes decreased from 653 to 642.

Crime detected as a result of police action

• Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition decreased from five cases the previous year to four.
• Drug-related crime decreased from 110 to 91.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased from 56 to 73.
• Sexual offences detected as a result of police remained the same with no cases reported.
  Total crime detected as a result of police action decreased from 171 to 168.
• Kidnapping decreased from 33 cases the previous year to 15.

Information obtained from saps.gov.za