Serious Crimes Down, overall an increase says Police Commissioner

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, January 28, 2022 – Crime in the Turks and Caicos has increased slightly by two per cent in 2021 compared to 2020, but worrying is the 25 per cent reduction in serious crimes for the first three quarters of 2021.

The 2021 Polices statistics show that from April 2021 to December 2021 there were 1,235 crimes, 24 more crimes than 2020. And during that same period, there were 184 serious crimes, 63 fewer crimes from 2020.

More specifically, there were 29 aggravated burglaries, a 16 per cent increase or 4 added crimes from 2020. And 22 per cent or 15 more firearm offenses were recorded; 84 firearm offenses happened in 2021.

For the reductions, there were 226 burglaries, 1 per cent less compared to 2020. Eleven murders were recorded in 2021, which signifies a reduction of  seven crimes or 39 per cent compared to 2020. And 67 robberies happened, the statistics show that that is a 45 per cent reduction with 54 fewer robberies from the previous year.

Trevor Botting, Commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, in a January 21 media debriefing said the police remain concerned about the increase in aggravated burglaries and firearms offenses and are working to drive down the number of crimes in those areas.