Murder down but drugs up in South Durban
Crime statistics show some improvements and some areas of concern.
WHILE murder and attempted murder statistics are both down in the Brighton Beach and Wentworth policing areas in the period April to March 2013/14 compared to the previous year, both stations experienced a sharp increase in the number of drug-related crimes and burglaries at non-residential premises.
The recently released KZN crime statistics show the number of murders in the Brighton Beach policing area dropped from 9 to 7 and from 11 to 9 in Wentworth. Attempted murder also dropped from 25 to 9 and 45 to 43 respectively. Drug-related crimes, however, rose from 703 to 740 in Brighton Beach, while in Wentworth they rose by 210, from 434 to 644. The previous period – April to March 2011/12 to April to March 2012/13 saw drug-related crimes increase by 32 in Brighton Beach, but decrease by 91 in Wentworth.
Burglaries at non-residential premises went from 112 to 146 in the Brighton Beach policing area and from 34 to 78 in Wentworth. Conversely, thefts of motor vehicles and motorcycles saw a sharp decrease in Brighton Beach, from 257 to 174 and common assault dropped from 434 to 320 in Wentworth.
The total sexual crimes statistics for Brighton Beach nearly doubled from the previous period, rising 43% while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs went up 12%. In Wentworth, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs statistics rose by 17% and carjacking went up 4%.
Commercial crime and malicious injury to property statistics dropped 16% and 31% respectively in Brighton Beach while all theft not mentioned elsewhere and common assault dropped 16% and 26% respectively in Wentworth.
