Police stats show murder rate in Grand Bahama on the decline

#FREEPORT, The Bahamas, April 27, 2023 – Current statistics from the Royal Bahamas Police Force for Grand Bahama Island reveal that murder fell by some thirty-three percent, compared to last year. The statistics represent Grand Bahama and the Northern Bahamas (Abaco and Bimini) for the period January 1 through April 23.

The statistics compared figures from 2022 and 2023 in various categories, including crimes against a person and crimes against properties. For crimes against the person, murder in Grand Bahama (for the time period) saw a thirty-three percent decline, with three reported in 2022 (for the same period) and two this year.

While attempted murder saw a 400 percent increase, with five reported for the period January 1-April 23, 2023, compared to one in 2022, there was a fifty percent decline in rape cases, from 4 in 2022 to 2 this year. Unlawful sex crimes also saw a reduction of twenty-two percent, from nine for the period.

Armed robbery saw a fifty percent decline thus far this year, from six reported for the same period in 2022 to three this year. There were no robberies reported for the period of January 1-April 23 this year. In total, crimes against the person overall saw a thirty percent decline, from 27 in 2022 (for the period) to 19 this year (for the same period).

Stats for crimes against properties show that there were reductions in four of six categories. Stealing from vehicles saw a ninety-three percent decline, from 14 in 2022 to one in 2023. Shop-breaking saw a 42 percent decline, from 31 in 2022 to 18 thus far this year.

Housebreaking had a twenty-one percent decline from 2022, compared to 2023, with 24 housebreakings committed in the first quarter of 2022 and 19 for the same period this year. Stealing was slightly behind, with a twenty-two percent decrease, with 49 last year and 38 this year for the first period of the year. Burglary had a fifty percent increase thus far for the year, with three cases reported by the police, compared to two the same time last year.

Overall, crimes against property saw a thirty-three percent decline this year, compared to last year, with 124 committed in 2022 (first quarter) and eighty-three committed for the first quarter of this year.

Commissioner of Police, Clayton Fernander, during a recent press briefing, noted that crime in The Bahamas overall fell by 28 percent, compared to the same period in 2022.

“I would like to calm the public at this time and reassure everyone in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas that we, the police, are doing everything within our power to keep the public safe while preventing and solving crime,” Fernander said.