News
West reports decrease in contact crime
Police minister Senzo Mchunu released the first quarter crime statistics for 2024/25 on Friday, August 30.
The statistics reveal crimes reported to South Africa’s 1 163 police stations from April to June 2024.
Pretoria West stations, apart from Atteridgeville, have seen decreases in contact crimes.
Temba, Mamelodi East, Brooklyn, Pretoria Central and Sunnyside were among the country’s top 30 police stations plagued by serious crime.
Atteridgeville
Atteridgeville Police Station saw an increase in contact crimes (crimes against a person) of 17% this quarter.
The largest increase reported was in sexual offences, rising to 34 cases compared to last quarter’s 18.
Common assault also saw a sharp increase (67.9%), with 131 cases reported compared to last quarter’s 78.
Reported murder cases increased by one count (19 to 20), while assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm (GBH) cases increased from 73 to 78 and common robberies increased by six cases (18 to 24).
Reported attempted murder cases decreased by five counts (17 to 12) and robberies with aggravating circumstances decreased by 15.3% (118 to 100).
Reported rape cases increased by 15 counts (16 to 31) and three sexual assault cases were reported this quarter, compared to one in the last.
No contact sexual offences were reported this quarter, compared to one case reported in the last and no attempted sexual offences have been reported in the past five quarters.
Atteridgeville has seen a sharp decrease in the number of carjacking cases reported from the 32 last quarter to 17.
Robberies at residential premises decreased by four counts (16 to 12), while robberies at non-residential premises decreased by nine cases (25 to 16).
No cash-in-transit (CIT) heists were reported this quarter, compared to the one case last quarter and no bank robberies or truck hijackings have been reported in the past three quarters.
Two cases of arson were reported this quarter, compared to one case reported in the previous. Malicious damage to property cases increased by 57.6%, from 33 cases to 52 this quarter.
Burglaries at non-residential premises decreased by 19 counts (32 to 13) and motor vehicle and motorcycle theft dropped from 25 to 22 cases, and theft out of or from a motor vehicle cases also saw decreases of three counts (40 to 37).
Two counts of stock theft were reported this quarter compared to none in the previous and burglaries at residential premises increased by 8% (50 to 54).
Shoplifting cases decreased by 27 counts (61 to 31) and commercial crime increased by 14 counts (35 to 49).
Serious crimes reported by the community increased by 6.6% (725 to 773), while all thefts not mentioned elsewhere increased by 1.9% (107 to 109).
Atteridgeville saw an increase of 27.5% in crimes detected as a result of police action this quarter.
Detected drug-related crimes increased by 27.3% (132 to 168) and detected driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) cases increased by 12 counts (22 to 34).
Two detected sexual offences were recorded this quarter, compared to one reported in the last.
Detected illegal possession of firearms and ammunition cases decreased by two counts (16 to 14) and seven more counts of kidnapping were reported this quarter than the previous 17 (24).
Booysens
Booysens Police Station saw a decrease of 4.8% in contact crimes this quarter, the most significant being 11 fewer common robbery cases reported (39 to 28).
Robberies with aggravating circumstances decreased by 10.5% (190 to 170) and common assault decreased by 4.2% (96 to 92).
Reported murder cases increased by nine counts (4 to 13) and assault with GBH cases increased by 13.6% (59 to 67).
Reported sexual offences decreased by three counts from 21 last quarter to 18.
Rape