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Crime increased overall in 2024, but sexual offences show marked decrease, police say

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By Kisean Joseph

[email protected]

Crime in Antigua and Barbuda increased overall by 5 percent in 2024, with police recording 3,602 reported incidents compared to 3,425 in 2023, according to statistics released during annual police press briefing on Monday.

Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in the Royal Police Force of Antigua (RPFAB), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Clifton Cabral presented detailed figures showing mixed trends across different categories of crime.

Property crimes saw increases, with breaking and larceny cases rising from 779 in 2023 to 854 in 2024, though general larceny showed a slight decline from 1,141 to 1,107 cases.

“You see a decline there in larceny,” ACP Cabral said while presenting the statistics at Police Headquarters.

One of the most significant improvements came in the area of sexual offences, which showed substantial decreases across all categories. Reported rapes dropped from 40 cases in 2023 to 25 in 2024, while indecent assault cases fell from 25 to 17. Cases of unlawful sexual intercourse also decreased, from 21 incidents in 2023, to 16 in 2024.

The RPFAB also addressed public concerns about missing persons, with ACP Cabral revealing that of the 25 persons reported missing in 2024, 22 were found safe. “However, we still have three outstanding that we have not made any accounts for since,” he said.

A major focus of police operations in 2024 was removing illegal firearms from the streets. Lawmen seized 30 firearms, 16 modified flare guns, one imitation firearm, and 385 rounds of ammunition throughout the year. These operations led to 27 individuals being “arrested, charged, and convicted,” according to Cabral.

The statistics also gave a breakdown of the demographics of those arrested. Of the 656 arrests made in 2024, 500 were Antiguan and Barbudan citizens, with the remaining 156 involving foreign nationals from 17 different countries.

Robbery cases also registered significant increases ACP Cabral said, as aggravated robberies more than tripled, rising from nine cases in 2023 to 28 in 2024, while there were 140 incidents of “regular” robberies in 2024 compared to 119 the previous year.

The police also reported a rise in fraud cases, with 62 incidents recorded in 2024 compared to 44 in 2023. Additionally, there were 12 murders in 2024, up from 10 in 2023, with arrests made in six of these cases.

Law enforcement officials emphasized their commitment to addressing these increases through enhanced strategies and continued community cooperation. The RPFAB highlighted several successful initiatives, including improved technology adoption and increased training programs for officers.

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