Reported incidents of murder and rape on New Providence increased by 41 percent and 56 percent respectively last year compared to the same period in 2010, according to Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) statistics released yesterday. The 2011 crime data was presented at police headquarters by Commissioner Ellison Greenslade. Nationwide, murders increased by 35 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, from 94 to 127. There have been four murder records in The Bahamas in the last five years - 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Of that overall murder total 110 took place on New Providence, up from the 78 recorded in 2010.
Police recorded 107 rapes last year nationwide, up 37 percent from the 78 recorded in 2010.
Reported rapes on the country's main island, New Providence, increased from 54 to 84 from 2010 to 2011. In Grand Bahama the number fell from 15 to eight year-on-year. However on the Family Islands reported rapes increased from nine to 15.
Drugs (20) and unresolved conflicts (45) were the motives behind more than half of the record 127 murders in The Bahamas last year, according to the commissioner. Retaliation (18) was the third most common motive police found. Robbery was the motive for 17 murders; 14 were related to domestic disputes; motives were undetermined in 12 cases; and one related to a sexual assault, police said.
Firearms were the weapons of choice for murderers. According to the statistics, 74 percent of the 2011 murders, or 94, were committed with guns. Knives were the second most popular weapon. They were used in 22 murders. Seven people were killed with blunt objects or by fire; four victims were killed with unknown weapons. July was the bloodiest month in 2011. Twenty-one people were murdered that month. In March, 16 people were murdered - the second highest monthly total in 2011.
The lowest monthly murder total was recorded in October (5). Murders occurred most frequently on Saturdays (31) followed by Sundays (21) and Fridays (20). Greenslade also revealed that nine murders took place on Grand Bahama and eight murders were recorded on the Family Islands. Yesterday the police chief acknowledged that last year's crime wave stretched the RBPF's resources.
"[Last year] was an extremely challenging year for the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The large number of murders committed for 2011 coupled with increases in most categories of crimes against persons, taxed our resources and significantly tested our resolve during the year," Greenslade said. Young men, who were habitual users of drugs and alcohol, were the perpetrators of most of last year's crimes, said Greenslade.
"We also saw the proliferation of illegal guns which were indiscriminately used by relatively young men who sought to settle their drug disputes and other conflicts using these instruments of death," he said. Overall violent crime was up nine percent in 2011. Property crime was up seven percent. In the property crime category, housebreaking was up three percent; stealing from vehicles was up 47 percent; and stolen vehicle reports were up seven percent.
Burglary fell by 11 percent; shopbreaking fell 21 percent; and stealing fell by two percent. The statistics were released during the presentation of Greenslade's 2012 policing plan. The plan promised a widespread crackdown on minor offenses and to commit more resources to prosecute and prevent serious crimes.
The police chief also pledged, among other things, to target drug dens and 'chop shops' where stolen cars are housed and dismantled so that parts could be sold.
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