MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police here are reporting a 32 per cent increase in major crimes committed in this south-central parish between January 1 and March 9 when compared to the corresponding period last year.

Speaking at last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the municipal corporation, head of the Manchester police Superintendent Lloyd Darby said 18 more serious crimes were committed over the period.

He added that the police have cleared up almost 50 per cent of the serious crimes committed with 36 cases being solved since the start of this year.

Manchester has recorded one less murder since the start of the year with five people being killed compared to six for the corresponding period last year.

Darby said the police are seeing increased cases of shootings, robberies, and break-ins.

He added that aggravated assault is down and the reported cases of rape are the same for the corresponding periods.

He is appealing for the public’s assistance in seizing firearms, which, he said, are the main weapons used by criminals.

“Of the five murders since the start of 2022, four have been committed with the use of firearms and 85 per cent of the robberies are with [the use of] firearms,” he said.

“The seizure of firearms is very critical to our policing efforts and we continue to seek the assistance of the public,” he shared.

Superintendent Darby provided an update on two recent murders in Silent Hill near Christiana and Greenvale in Manchester.

Twenty-nine-year-old Deshawn Thompson, otherwise called Bigs, was killed on Saturday, March 5 in Silent Hill.

He said that Thompson and other patrons were at a bar, which is attached to his house, when a man walked into the bar, ordered a cigarette, then pulled a firearm from his waistband and ordered patrons to lay down.

“He went over to Thompson and shot him in his head and upper body,” said Darby.

“We are making progress with this investigation and we are hopeful that we will be able to clear this murder,” he added.

Superintendent Darby also said the police have arrested one person and are seeking two other people in relation to the February 17 murder of 76-year-old Teddy Clarke in Texas, Greenvale.