Region 5 records significant decline in serious crimes

– cases of rape worrying Police

The Guyana Police Force has reported that serious crime is at its lowest rate in 10 years, and the Police Administration in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) has reported a decrease in serious crime by 50 per cent.
In a recent press conference, Region Five Commander, Senior Superintendent Kurleigh Simon, revealed that while serious crime in his district is down by 50%, there is a worrying increase in rape cases.
“Of the eight instances of rape that we had recorded, seven are for young females below the age of 18 years. I have had a discussion with the Probation and Welfare Officer, and we have to strategise and address the issue. It is statutory rape, because sometimes because of the age limitation, they cannot give consent; it is recorded as rape as much as they might have consented,” the Commander pointed out.
For the year so far, there were six murders in Region Five, compared to 12 for last year. According to the Commander, only one of the murders this year is yet to be solved. “We are down to six murders this year. It is not that we don’t value life, but we are grateful that we had a reduction in the number of murders when compared to last year,” Simon posited.
In relation to armed robbery in which a firearm was involved, no case was reported for this year, compared to four being reported in 2020. Two cases of robbery under arms wherein a weapon other than a firearm was used were reported for 2021, compared to 12 in 2020.
The region has also recorded zero cases of robbery with violence, but for cases of burglary, the region recorded five, compared to three last year. Break and enter and larceny also recorded a significate decline when compared to the previous year’s incidents.
Meanwhile, with respect to the traffic congestion and anticipated criminal activities during the Christmas season, the Guyana Police Force in the respective regions would mobilise 24-hour patrols in residential areas and in the shopping environs.