[Source: Fiji Police Force/Facebook]

The crime rate in the country saw a significant increase of 28 percent in September compared to the same month last year says Acting Commissioner of Police, Sakeo Raikaci.

Raikaci who is temporarily filling the post while Acting Commissioner Juki Fong Chew is on an overseas engagement, reported that serious crimes increased by six percent, crimes against children by eight percent and illicit drug cases by nine percent while crimes against women, recorded a slight decrease of three percent.

He says the top five prevalent offenses for September includes 487 cases of theft, 298 cases of assault causing actual bodily harm, 193 cases of burglary and aggravated burglary.

Police recorded 140 cases of unlawful possession of illicit drugs and 71 cases of criminal intimidation.

Raikaci says one significant case involved a 56-count theft in which the accused withdrew approximately $9,000 from the account of an 86-year-old victim.

The Acting Commissioner says in the serious crime category, the Southern and Northern saw a decrease in crime rates.

For crimes against women, the Southern, Eastern, and Central divisions saw decreases of three percent, 21 percent and 50 percent respectively.

Crimes against children also showed an alarming rise, with 117 cases reported, 90 of which involved girls and 27 boys.

Raikaci says of these cases, 66 percent were sexual offenses, 29 percent were assault-related, and five percent were linked to other offenses.

While the Western and Central divisions saw decreases of 47 percent and 29 percent, respectively, other divisions recorded increases.

The rise in crimes against children was largely attributed to an increase in assault cases, which rose from 18 to 26.

The Acting Commissioner highlighted that 15 percent of crimes against children were domestic-related, involving parent-child, uncle-niece/nephew, and other familial relationships.