MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police here are reporting a 26 per cent reduction in major crimes recorded since the start of this year, in comparison to the corresponding period last year

Head of the Manchester police division, Superintendent Gary Francis believes the reduction is due to improved relationships between residents and the police.

“…We continue to enjoy the support of our citizens who partner with us to assist us to continue to have our major crimes trending down,” Francis told reporters yesterday.

There is a 38 per cent reduction in murder with five murders recorded in the parish since the start of this year, in comparison to eight for the corresponding period last year.

There is also 20 per cent reduction in shootings with a clear-up rate of 25 per cent.

Two incidents of rape have been reported to the police since the start of the year, the same number for the corresponding period last year.

The police say that no arrests have so far been made in connection with the latest reports of rape.

Aggravated assault is down by 44 per cent with five cases reported since the start of this year, compared to nine for the corresponding period last year.

Deputy superintendent of police in charge of operations, Lloyd Darby, said daylight robberies are of great concern to the police.

“The category of robberies is of particular concern to us at this moment because we have had 16 robberies reported, compared to 15 for for the corresponding period in 2020. This is the only category that is showing an increase,” he said.

“We see the trend of daylight robberies occurring in the Asia and Christiana police areas. The [most recent] one in the Christiana area resulted in a murder. During the course of the robbery there was resistance from the victim, and he was shot,” added Darby.

The police also confirmed that a business establishment was robbed sometime Thursday afternoon by armed men in Mandeville.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Francis has asked members of the public who have been robbed of their belongings and can identify them to visit the Mandeville Police Station.

This follows the recovery of items during police raids in the Porus area of Manchester on Thursday. Police said among items recovered were an air compressor, trowels, a steam cleaner, a jigsaw, an all-purpose saw, tile cutter, drills, and a radio Hi-Fi system.

“We are inviting members of the public whose premises might have been broken into to visit us at the Mandeville Police Station or to call us at 876-961-5581 or 876-962-2550 or 876-962-2832 and take along any identifying information to [verify] ownership of the material,” said Francis.