NEWS & ANALYSIS

South African national crime statistics 2013/2014

Number of murders up by 5% to 17 068, numbers of residential robberies up 7.4% to 19 284

The official crime statistics released by the South African Police Service today for the April 2013 to March 2014 reporting period reveal a substantial increase in a number of categories of the most serious crime. There were 17 068 murders recorded by police, up from 16 259 the year before, an increase of 5% in absolute numbers and a 3.5% increase in the ratio per 100 000 of population. The total number of "robberies with aggravating circumstances" increase to 119 351, up from 105 888 the year before, a 12.7% increase. Within this sub-category number of robberies at residential premises increased from 17 950 to 19 284, a 7.4% increase, and at non-residential purposes from 16 377 to 18 615, a 13.7% increase.

The full list of crime categories and the changes year-on-year follows below:

Table: Crime statistics in South Africa in 2013/2014 compared to 2012/2013:

2012/2013

2013/2014

% change 2012/13 to 2013/14

2012/2013

2013/2014

% change 2012/13 to 2013/14

Crime Category

Total numbers of crime reported

Ratio of crimes to 100 000 population

CONTACT CRIMES (CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON)

Murder

16 259

17 068

5.0%

31.1

32.2

3.5%

Total Sexual Offences

66 387

62 649

-5.6%

127.0

118.2

-6.9%

Attempted murder

16 363

17 110

4.6%

31.3

32.3

3.2%

Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm

185 893

183 173

-1.5%

355.6

345.7

-2.8%

Common assault

172 909

167 157

-3.3%

330.8

315.5

-4.6%

Robbery with aggravating circumstances

105 888

119 351

12.7%

202.6

225.3

11.2%

Common robbery

53 540

53 858

0.6%

102.4

101.7

-0.7%

CONTACT CRIMES

617 239

620 366

0.5%

1 180.8

1 170.9

-0.8%

CONTACT RELATED CRIME

Arson

6 064

5 811

-4.2%

11.6

11.0

-5.2%

Malicious damage to property

121 113

119 733

-1.1%

231.7

226.0

-2.5%

CONTACT RELATED CRIME

127 177

125 544

-1.3%

243.3

237.0

-2.6%

PROPERTY RELATED CRIME

Burglary at non-residential premises

73 630

73 600

0.0%

140.9

138.9

-1.4%

Burglary at residential premises

262 113

260 460

-0.6%

501.4

491.6

-2.0%

Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle

58 370

56 870

-2.6%

111.7

107.3

-3.9%

Theft out of or from motor vehicle

139 658

143 812

3.0%

267.2

271.4

1.6%

Stock-theft

29 894

28 026

-6.2%

57.2

52.9

-7.5%

PROPERTY RELATED CRIME

563 665

562 768

-0.2%

1 078.3

1 062.2

-1.5%

CRIME DETECTED AS A RESULT OF POLICE ACTION

Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition

14 872

15 420

3.7%

28.4

29.1

2.5%

Drug-related crime

206 825

260 732

26.1%

395.6

492.1

24.4%

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

71 065

69 757

-1.8%

135.9

131.7

-3.1%

CRIME DETECTED AS A RESULT OF POLICE ACTION

292 762

345 909

18.2%

560.0

652.9

16.6%

OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES

All theft not mentioned elsewhere

362 816

368 664

1.6%

694.1

695.8

0.2%

Commercial crime

91 569

79 109

-13.6%

175.2

149.3

-14.8%

Shoplifting

71 309

70 516

-1.1%

136.4

133.1

-2.4%

OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES

525 694

518 289

-1.4%

1 005.6

978.2

-2.7%

SUB CATEGORIES OF AGGRAVATED ROBBERY

Carjacking

9 990

11 221

12.3%

Truck hijacking

943

991

5.1%

Robbery of cash in transit

145

145

0.0%

Bank robbery

7

21

200.0%

Robbery at residential premises

17 950

19 284

7.4%

Robbery at non-residential premises

16 377

18 615

13.7%

TRIO CRIMES

44 317

49 120

10.8%

84.8

92.7

9.4%

17 SERIOUS CRIMES

1 833 775

1 826 967

-0.4%

3 507.9

3 448.3

-1.7%

20 SERIOUS CRIMES

2 126 537

2 172 876

2.2%

4 068.0

4 101.2

0.8%

Source: SAPS

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