Recent statistics of crime in Guyana.

117 murders, 896 armed robberies in eight months

• rape cases up by 19 percent

  A great 117 murders, 896 armed robberies and 224 reported cases of rape are the latest statistics released by the Guyana Police Force.
  The statistics suggest that the Force may be losing ground in its bid to curb serious crimes.
  The Force’s Public relations Department stated that 114 murders were recorded at the end of September 2015, in comparison to 109 murders at the end of September last year, an increase of five percent.
  Police recorded three more murders up to Monday.
  Worrying for the Force is the fact that there was a ten percent increase in serious crimes for this period this year.
  For the first eight months of 2015, there were 613 robberies in which firearms were used, in comparison to 589 such robberies for the same period last year.
  There was a one percent drop in cases in which robberies were committed with other instruments; 283 this year as against 285 last year.
  The release stated that the force recently published incorrect statistics in relation to rape.
  “Following advice received from the Police Legal Advisor, it was recognised that there was a flaw in the recording process for the offence of rape.
  “The statistics have since been adjusted and reveal that there has been an increase of 19 percent in the number of reports of rape, with 224 reports at the end of September this year compared to 188 for the same period last year.
  Break and enter and larceny and burglary have shown an overall increase of 14 percent.
  Unto the end of September this year, police recovered 89 illegal firearms, including one sub-machine gun, 47 pistols, 24 revolvers, 10 shotguns, six rifles and a pen-gun. In contrast, 60 illegal firearms were recovered during a similar period last year.
  In relation to traffic, there were 90 road fatalities from 76 accidents at the end of September 2015, in comparison to 101 fatalities from 93 accidents for the same period in 2014, a decrease of 18.
  There were also decreases in the serious and minor categories of road accidents, and a six percent increase in accidents in which vehicles were damaged.
  Of those who perished, 31 were pedestrians, eight were pedal cyclists, 23 were motor vehicle passengers, 13 motor cyclists, 11 drivers, three pillion riders and one who was being towed on a bicycle.
  Traffic enforcement by the police has resulted in 43,071 cases for this year being made against errant motorists at the end of September 2015.
  Of this total, 17,582 cases were for speeding, 1,666 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 489 for using cell phone while driving and 1,156 for failing to wear seat belt.