Latest crime stats show decline in serious crimes in Springs

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

While the figures for Springs showed a decline in overall serious offences, the local police station did feature on the national and provincial top 30 list in the following categories:

• Burglary at non-residential premises : position 26 nationally and eighth provincially.
• Culpable homicide: position 12 nationally and fifth provincially. Culpable homicide cases increased from nine to 12.
• Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle: position 14 nationally and ninth provincially.
• Arson: position four provincially.
• Attempted sexual offences: position 27 provincially.
• Burglary at residential premises: position 24 provincially.
• Common assault: position 30 provincially.
• Other serious crime: position 29 provincially.
• Property-related crime: position 15 provincially.
• Public violence: position 28 provincially.

The full stats for Springs are as follows and are compared to the same time period as the previous year:

Contact crimes (crimes against a person)

• Murder decreased from 20 cases the previous year to 14.
• Sexual offences decreased from 29 to 16.
• Attempted murder remained the same at six cases.
• Assault GBH decreased from 32 to 17.
• Common assault increased from 110 to 111.
• Common robbery decreased from 33 to 24.
• Robbery with aggravating circumstances decreased from 103 to 91.

Total contact crimes decreased from 103 to 91.

Sexual offences

• Rape decreased from 16 cases the previous year to 13.
• Sexual assault decreased from 13 to two.
• Attempted sexual offences increased from no cases to one.
• Contact sexual offences remained the same with no cases reported.

Some subcategories of aggravated robbery

• Carjacking decreased from 20 cases the previous year to 17.
• Robbery at residential premises decreased from 16 to 15.
• Robbery at non-residential premises decreased from 12 to 11.
• Trio crime decreased from 48 to 43.
• Robbery of cash-in-transit vehicle remained the same with no cases were reported.
• Bank robbery remained the same and no cases were reported.
• Truck hijacking increased from one to two.

Contact-related crimes

• Arson increased from two cases the previous year to three.
• Malicious damage to property decreased from 54 to 51.

Total contact-related crimes decreased from 56 to 54.

Property-related crimes

• Burglary at non-residential premises increased from 36 cases the previous year to 40.
• Burglary at residential premises decreased from 78 to 65.
• Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle decreased from 78 to 66.
• Theft out of or from motor vehicle increased from 35 to 56.
• Stock theft decreased from two to none.

Total property-related crimes decreased from 229 to 227.

Other serious crimes

• All theft not mentioned elsewhere decreased from 194 cases the previous year to 193.
• Commercial crime decreased from 94 to 90.
• Shoplifting decreased from 34 to 32.

Total other serious crimes decreased from 322 to 315.

Total 17 community reported serious crimes decreased from 940 to 875.

Crime detected as a result of police action

• Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition increased from seven cases the previous year to eight.
• Drug-related crime increased from 153 to 169.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs decreased from 77 to 56.
• 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 237 to 233.

• Kidnapping decreased from 24 cases the previous year to 15.

Information obtained from saps.gov.za