The Fiji Police Force has recorded an overall nine percent reduction in crime last month when compared to April.

Subsequent reductions were also recorded in serious crime by 18 percent, crimes against women by 12 percent and crimes against children by three percent.

Concerted efforts on the war on drugs by all law enforcement stakeholders resulted in a three percent increase in the number of illicit drugs cases registered.

When comparing May 2024 to the same period in May 2023, a 30 percent increase was noted in overall crime.

Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew says the increase in overall crime between May last year and this year is linked to the three cases of theft recording multiple counts.

One case from the Southern Division involved approximately $47,000 from a major supermarket chain whereby the accused was charged with 91 counts of theft.

In the second report recorded in the Western Division, a large retail company employee allegedly stole over $2,391 and was charged with 22 counts of theft.

The third report also recorded in the Western Division involved the theft of approximately $11,000 from an industrial product distribution company, whereby the accused was charged with 100 counts of theft.

Apart from 645 theft cases, other prevalent cases during May were 253 cases of assault causing actual bodily harm, 178 cases of burglary and aggravated robbery, 127 cases of unlawful possession of illicit drugs and 87 cases of criminal intimidation.

In relation to 127 drugs cases 95 were for unlawful possession of marijuana, 31 were related to methamphetamine and one case was linked to cocaine.

141 people were charged, and in some instances one report registered more than one accused person.

Of the 172 registered cases for Crimes against women, 92 percent were assault-related offences and eight percent were sexual offences.

Forty-nine were domestic related where the perpetrator was a spouse or in a defacto/partner relationship.

Crimes against children recorded 106 cases where 82 victims were girls and 24 boys.

Of the recorded cases, 65 percent were sexual offences, 23 percent were assault related and 12 percent linked to other offences.

Twenty-three cases were domestic related involving parent-child relationship.

Fong Chew says keeping in line with the intent of ensuring the fair and transparent handling of reports against Police officers, three officers were charged for cases of falsification of documents, assault causing actual bodily harm and rape, as per independent legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The acting COMPOL says there is a decline in the overall crime rate for May, compared to the increase recorded over the past four months.

He adds that policing efforts are being heightened through a Special Operation called “Ops Yavirau” currently underway throughout the five policing divisions.

He states the intent is to disrupt and destabilise criminal elements and mitigate drug related offences, while at the same time ensuring collaborative targeted community policing initiatives are carried out between the Police and stakeholders.