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200 percent bank robbery increase

Bank robberies increased by 200 percent in the 2013/2014 financial year, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said on Friday.

"Bank robbery went from seven to 21, with Gauteng contributing to most of them," she said at the release of the crime statistics in Pretoria.

Gauteng had 11 bank robberies, the Eastern Cape five, KwaZulu-Natal two and the Free State three.

Trio crimes increase

Trio crimes have increased by 10.8 percent and remain "stubborn", national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said.

"They remain stubborn... overall they continue to increase," she said.

Trio crimes are crimes relating to personal safety and business, such as house robbery, business robbery and carjacking.

In the past year, carjacking saw a 12.3 percent increase, truck hijacking a 12.1 percent increase, robbery a 13.7 percent increase, and robbery in residential areas a 7.4 percent increase, said Phiyega.

"Trio crimes are packaged differently because Cabinet is keen to know how these are doing."

Over the past ten years, the trio crimes group increased by 95.3 percent; and by four percent over the past five years.

Drug-related crimes up

Drug-related crimes have increased by 26.1 percent in the 2013/14 financial year, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said.

"The concerning issue is that it appears that when this is on the increase, we need to deal with the consumers," she said.

She said consumers encouraged supply.

The detected increase showed better policing, she said.

Drug-related crimes increased by 210.4 percent over the past ten years.

Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs decreased by 1.8 percent in the past year; and by 133.1 percent over the past 10 years.

800 more murders than last year

The number of murders increased by 800 in the past financial year, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said on Friday.

Murder had gone up by five percent and attempted murder by 4.6 percent, said Phiyega, announcing the 2013/2014 crime statistics in Pretoria.

Murder had gone up five percent, attempted murder increased by 4.6 percent, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm increased by 1.5 percent and robbery with aggravated circumstances was up by 12.7 percent.

Common assault was down by 3.3 percent and sexual offences decreased by 5.6 percent, with rape and sexual assault dropping.

"We are not going to rest. We will continue putting effort into these areas," she said.

Bank robberies decreased by 77.4 percent over a five-year period, but increased from seven incidents in 2012/13 to 21 in 2013/14.

That is a 200 percent increase.

The robbery of cash-in-transit vehicles stabilised at 145 incidents, this year compared to last year.

Common robbery went up by 0.6 percent.

Drug-related crimes increased by 26.1 percent in the past financial year.

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