Robberies at businesses up 47%

Assistant commissioner Francine Vuma, head of research and statistics, told a media briefing in Pretoria that the incidence of murder - that is the number of cases per 100 000 people - has fallen by 4.7%, attempted murder by 7.5% and assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm by 4.6%. Common assault has fallen by 6.6%.

However, crimes that affect the business community have increased. Burglary at non-residential premises rose by 6.8%, commercial crime went up by 4.8%, and shoplifting rose by 1.3%.

The actual raw number of robberies at business premises went up by a massive 47.4% - from 6 689 to 9 862. Giving some explanation of this figure, commissioner Chris de Kock told the briefing that most of these robberies are from small business premises, which accumulate comparatively large amounts of cash.

Bank robberies increased, but the numbers are still very small, going up from 129 to 144. But cash in transit robberies fell by 15.4% as the organisers - and it is a highly organised crime - turned their attention elsewhere.

Street robbery was another category of crime that fell in numbers, and is now showing a clear downward trend over the past five years. In 2003 to 2004, the number of street robberies reported was 105 690. Last year it fell from 92 021 to 78, 117.

De Kock attributed this decline to higher police visibility in the central business districts of South African cities.

- I-Net Bridge