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Zimbabwe Republic Police, Officer Commanding, Commissioner Wiklef Makamache has announced a significant 8% decrease in crime in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province over the past three quarters.
This decline enhances public safety and demonstrates authorities’ effectiveness in reducing crime.
Commissioner Makamache said this at an engagement meeting with the members of Bulawayo’s Press.
The engagement took place at Ross Camp, which houses the Bulawayo Police Provincial Headquarters yesterday morning. In his address to the inquisitive reporters, the Provincial Police Chief stated,
“We managed to score a 3 percent decrease from June to December last year, and from January to September this year, we have reduced crime by 8 percent,” Commissioner Makamache stated.
Crime Reduction Achievements
Comm Makamache reported significant progress in crime reduction efforts within the province. He said that after coming to the Province in June 2023, the Province successfully avoided notable incidents during the harmonised elections.
From June to December 2023, there was a 3% decrease in crime, which was below the target growth standard of 7%.
Recent Crime Statistics
From January to September 2024, the province achieved an 8 percent reduction in crime. However, Comm Makamache noted the presence of “crimes of concern,” which continue to fluctuate, indicating that while overall crime rates are down, certain types of crime still pose challenges.
This ongoing commitment to reducing crime reflects a proactive approach to community safety and law enforcement effectiveness.
Reading from a prepared table, Comm. Makamache gave the following statistics,
Crime Trends:
- Murder cases increased from 41 to 51
- Armed robbery decreased from 44 to 22 cases
- Rape decreased from 154 to 103 cases
- Unlawful entry decreased from 2928 to 2677 cases
- Stock theft increased from 176 to 210 cases
- Assault increased from 2124 to 2205 cases
- Theft of motor vehicles decreased from 59 to 51 cases
- Fraud decreased from 788 to 620 cases.
Comm Makamache said while they have intensified awareness on theft of copper cables in conjunction with ZESA, Telone and NRZ, the province recorded has so far recorded 211 cases, an increase from last year’s 174.
He explained that ZESA was replacing overhead copper cables with aluminum, but the pace at which this is happening is slow because the job is being carried out by a third part.
Despite the progress achieved by the Bulawayo police in combating crime, Commissioner Makamache emphasized the need for continued collaboration between the police and the Bulawayo reporters to address crimes of concern.
The police are also, in collaboration with other law enforcement agents, investigating the US$4 million Ecobank armed robbery case which occured last week in Bulawayo’s Central Business District, with teams on the ground. Commissioner Makamache assured the public that updates will be provided once investigations are concluded.
Overall, Bulawayo’s crime reduction is a positive step towards enhanced public safety, but ongoing efforts are necessary to address persistent crimes of concern.
Zim GBC News©2024