More gun, ammunition seizures so far this year – police chief
Vanassa McKenzie / Our Today
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) reports that 7 per cent more seizures of illegal firearms occurred within the first quarter of this year.
This was revealed by Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake during the JCF’s first quarterly press briefing on Tuesday, April 9.
“In 2024, there has been a 7 per cent increase in gun seizures with pistols being the most commonly seized firearm. Ammunition seizures rose by 41 per cent, reflecting our intensified efforts to rid our streets of these dangerous tools of violence,” Blake said.
The police chief says with the support of the new Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act, greater focus will be placed on removing illegal weapons from the streets and communities.
“An analysis of the implement used in major crimes reveals that guns remain the predominant tools in murders featuring 84 per cent of the cases this year. Of note is the fact that arrests and charges for major crimes have seen a 9 per cent increase. This increase in arrests and charges is a clear indicator of our commitment to holding perpetrators accountable and delivering justice for victims,” Blake said.
He is urging law-abiding citizens to isolate criminals from communities by reporting suspicious criminal activities.
Crime
Also, Blake reported a reduction in serious crimes such as murder, rape and break-in, since the start of the year.
“Murders have decreased by 13 per cent, shootings are down by 4 per cent, rape cases have declined by 38 per cent. In terms of property crimes, robbery remains unchanged with 171 cases while break-in saw a decrease of 17 per cent,” he shared.
According to the latest statistics presented by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), 292 murders were committed islandwide up to April 6.
The latest murder figures represent a 14. 4 per cent decline when compared to the same period last year when 341 murders were recorded.
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