Good year for Umhlali SAPS

Umhlali SAPS has shown a major decrease in most major crimes over the past year.

In the Umhlali jurisdiction the total number of crimes reported dropped from 3 054 in 2013 to 776 in 2014. Common assault dropped from 214 to 53, while common robbery dropped from 62 to 13.

Drug-related crime decreased dramatically from 426 to 43 reported cases and residential burglary was more than halved, from 512 to 109.

These and other statistics were released nationally last week, with murder and violent crimes up for the second consecutive year.

Trio crimes – home and business robberies and truck/car hijackings – showed a 10 percent increase.

Locally, Umhlali SAPS appears to be among the best performing stations on the North Coast.

“This is indicative of greater participation from community members, for which we are thankful,” said acting station commander colonel Dieter Fittkau.

Burglary from residences dropped from 512 to 109 in the Umhlali district, while they increased from 969 to 1152 in KwaDukuza and 420 to 490 in Tongaat.

Theft from motor vehicles rose in KwaDukuza and Tongaat (252 to 285 and 129 to 204) but dropped in Umhlali, from 138 to 25.

Both KwaDukuza and Tongaat showed increases in almost all areas of crime. Total crimes reported in KwaDukuza rose from 7124 to 7697, while Tongaat showed the largest increase, from 2898 to 4250 crimes.

Murder increased in KwaDukuza and Tongaat, with 55 cases reported at KwaDukuza and 29 in Tongaat, up from 47 and 17 in 2013, respectively.

Residential burglary in KwaDukuza shot up from 969 last year to 1152 this year, while malicious damage to property increased from 305 to 325.

Tongaat SAPS showed increases in most areas, almost doubling drug-related crime for the second consecutive year.

In 2013, 387 were reported, increasing to 476 in 2014 and shooting up to 808 in the latest statistics.

Robbery with aggravating circumstances increased sharply, from 161 to 303.

Sex-related crimes increased from 229 to 236 in KwaDukuza and 145 from 93 in Tongaat, while Umhlali dropped from 99 to 28.

The only area in which Umhlali recorded an increase was in stock theft, from 1 case in 2013 to 35 this year, and 12 to 17 cases in KwaDukuza and one to seven in Tongaat.

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