Quarterly Crime Statistics

GEORGE NEWS - The quarterly crime statistics for the period from October to December 2021 released by Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday 18 February, shows an overall decrease in contact crimes such as murder, sexual offences, assault and robbery at the four police stations in the George area.

However, with 33 reported cases of rape during the last quarter of last year, Thembalethu police have their hands full.

Rape and murder headache for Themba

Although contact crimes in the area have shown a general decrease compared to the same period in 2020, an alarming 33 cases of rape were reported in Thembalethu during the three-month period from October to December 2021. This period also reported 11 murders compared to last year's nine.

However, 18 less cases of common assault were reported as well as seven less cases of common robbery. Attempted murder also showed a decrease from the previous year's 11 to six.

Like in George and Conville, Thembalethu showed a decrease in property-related crimes. Cases of theft out of motor vehicles however, increased by 8,2%, from three cases last year to nine this year. Overall, property-related crimes showed a drop of eight reported incidents from 97 in the previous year, to 89 in the mentioned period.

Drug-related crime detected as a result of police operations increased by 35 cases from seven in the previous year to 42.

Burglary rife in Pacaltsdorp

Property-related crimes in Pacaltsdorp have showed a significant increase of 43 cases in Pacaltsdorp. The biggest culprit here is burglary, with 28 more cases than the previous 32 cases that were reported.

In the last quarter of 2021, a total of 60 cases of burglary at residential premises were recorded.

Property-related crimes include robbery at residential and non-residential premises, theft of and from a motor vehicle, as well as stock theft.

The number of rape cases reported at the Pacaltsdorp police station during the last quarter of 2021 equals the 12 from the previous year. Individual statistics show that eight cases of attempted sexual assault were reported.

Cases of theft not mentioned elsewhere increased by 73,5%, from 49 to 85 cases, and commercial crime showed an increase of 10 cases in the last quarter.

Rape cases in Conville decrease

Compared to the same period in 2020, Conville police station showed an overall decrease of 18,5% in contact crimes and a 34,6% decrease in reported sexual offences - from 26 to 17. Of these sexual offences, 12 were reported rape cases.

In the same period in the previous year, Conville saw 20 cases of rape. Murder cases equaled the previous year's four and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) showed 17 less cases reported than the previous 95.

Common robbery and aggravated robbery accumulatively decreased by 47 cases compared to the same period last year.

Property-related crimes showed an overall decrease of 17,8% with 125 cases reported this year and 152 during same period in 2020.

Compared to the same period in 2020, Conville police station showed an overall decrease of 18,5% in contact crimes and a 34,6% decrease in reported sexual offences - from 26 to 17.

George shows general decrease

In George, reported cases of murder and rape also decreased, with three less murders as well as rape cases. In the same period in 2020, George reported four murders and 13 rape cases. Common assault, however, saw an increase of 23 cases (22,3%) with 126 reported cases compared to 103.

All the other contact crimes, including murder and sexual offences, showed a decrease, even if only slight.

A total of 35 cases of assault with the intent to cause GBH were reported recently, where 2020 saw 43, and eight less cases of aggravating robbery.

Property-related crimes showed an overall decrease of 9% with 293 reported cases in the last three months of 2021 and 322 in the same period in 2020.

On the upside, 63 more cases of drug-related crimes were detected as a result of police action. As many as 123 cases were registered compared to 61 the previous year. This could indicate that drug trading in the area is on the increase, but also that regular operations held by police are bearing fruit.