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Best August In Three Years
Published: Thursday | September 16, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
Jamaican police investigators are probing the reported wealth of 129 high-ranking gangsters as they continue their push to disrupt the activities of criminal gangs.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds said investigators, armed with court orders, have already frozen or seized numerous assets that have been traced to some of these gangsters.
Hinds, who heads the police operations portfolio, said this ramped up anti-gang strategy is one of several measures that has contributed to the continued reduction in almost all categories of major crimes, evidenced by the latest crime statistics.
"I don't want to confine it to any one factor ... . We have also arrested some significant persons involved in gang activities ... so it's a combination of factors," Hinds said.
Police statistics released yesterday show that 81 murders were reported in August, 54 fewer than for the corresponding period last year, and 67 fewer than the 146 murders reported in August 2008.
Homicides at record low
The 81 homicides reported last month are also the lowest for any one month in the last three years. It was the third consecutive month in which fewer than 100 murders were recorded.
According to the statistics, shootings declined by 39 per cent, robbery fell by 22 per cent, larceny went down by 57 per cent and break-ins declined by 21 per cent.
The only category of major crime to record an increase last month was rape, which increased by 19 per cent.
The statistics also show that most of the major crimes reported in August were on Fridays. The statistics indicate that Fridays accounted for 20 of the 81 murders and 57 of 289 shootings and robberies.
Meanwhile, Hinds told The Gleaner that the financial investigations are "much more meticulous", but said his investigators have found assets hidden in the names of wives, girlfriends, family members and other associates. He said this was one of the reasons the police issued a public appeal last month for the wives, girlfriends and relatives of several gang members to turn themselves in.
"These guys are adept at hiding their assets and that's why we called in the wives and girlfriends," he said.
The deputy police commissioner refused to divulge the gang affiliation of the men being probed, saying this would make the investigations even more difficult.
Published: Thursday | September 16, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
Jamaican police investigators are probing the reported wealth of 129 high-ranking gangsters as they continue their push to disrupt the activities of criminal gangs.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds said investigators, armed with court orders, have already frozen or seized numerous assets that have been traced to some of these gangsters.
Hinds, who heads the police operations portfolio, said this ramped up anti-gang strategy is one of several measures that has contributed to the continued reduction in almost all categories of major crimes, evidenced by the latest crime statistics.
"I don't want to confine it to any one factor ... . We have also arrested some significant persons involved in gang activities ... so it's a combination of factors," Hinds said.
Police statistics released yesterday show that 81 murders were reported in August, 54 fewer than for the corresponding period last year, and 67 fewer than the 146 murders reported in August 2008.
Homicides at record low
The 81 homicides reported last month are also the lowest for any one month in the last three years. It was the third consecutive month in which fewer than 100 murders were recorded.
According to the statistics, shootings declined by 39 per cent, robbery fell by 22 per cent, larceny went down by 57 per cent and break-ins declined by 21 per cent.
The only category of major crime to record an increase last month was rape, which increased by 19 per cent.
The statistics also show that most of the major crimes reported in August were on Fridays. The statistics indicate that Fridays accounted for 20 of the 81 murders and 57 of 289 shootings and robberies.
Meanwhile, Hinds told The Gleaner that the financial investigations are "much more meticulous", but said his investigators have found assets hidden in the names of wives, girlfriends, family members and other associates. He said this was one of the reasons the police issued a public appeal last month for the wives, girlfriends and relatives of several gang members to turn themselves in.
"These guys are adept at hiding their assets and that's why we called in the wives and girlfriends," he said.
The deputy police commissioner refused to divulge the gang affiliation of the men being probed, saying this would make the investigations even more difficult.
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