Aggravated robberies rise 1.2%

The number of aggravated robberies increased by 1.2 percent over the past financial year, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said.

However, there were still 29.7 percent fewer of these crimes than nine years ago and 18.7 percent less than four years ago, Mthethwa said at the release of the 2012/2013 crime statistics in Pretoria.

Residential burglaries increased by 3.3 percent in the past financial year, and non-residential burglaries by 1.7 percent over the same period.

In the 2012/2013 financial year:

• theft out of motor vehicles increased by 3.6 percent;
• commercial crimes increased by 0.6 percent;
• car hijacking increased by 5.4 percent;
• robbery at residential premises increased by 3.6 percent;
• truck hijacking increased by 14.9 percent;
• drug-related crime increased by 13.5 percent; and
• cases of drunk driving, or driving under the influence of drugs, increased by 1.5 percent.