National Security official not proud of crime statistics in St. Kitts and Nevis

By: E. Williams 

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JUNE 17TH 2017 – Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Mr. Osmond Petty has admitted that crime statistics in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis are not to be proud of.

Mr. Petty’s statement comes following the tragic discovery in a shallow grave of the decomposed body of 17-year-old Basseterre High School student Leanna Napoleon who went missing on May 9th. Napoleon’s death brings the number of murders in St. Kitts and Nevis to 15 for 2017.
His remark was made Wednesday in a WINNFM interview at the close of a Community Town Hall Meeting hosted by Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine on Safety and Security and attended by the United States Consul General based at the US Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, William Bent.
“Many people focus on the failures, the crime statistics. My presentation did not highlight the statistics because they are not something to be proud of,” said Permanent Secretary Petty.
He said the exercise was very useful to share some of those insights and to continue the collaboration with Ross University.
St. Kitts and Nevis is reeling from a significant increase in crime including murders, among them three females, two teenagers and three businesspersons.
Statistics from the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force for 2016 indicate a near 60 percent increase in crime in 2016 compared to 2015 with a triple digit increase in shootings and double digits increase in murder, break-ins, larceny, indecent assault, rape, unlawful carnal knowledge, non-firearm wounding, arson and drug-related offences.

The number of murders increased from 28 in 2015 to 32 in 2016, an increase of over 10%.

Breakings increased from 242 in 2015 to 415 in 2016, an increase of over 71%.

Larcenies increased by 81%, going from 215 in 2015 to 390 in 2016.

The incidences of ‘shooting at with intent’ showed marked increase of 160%, rising from 10 in 2015 to 26 in 2016.

Reported sex crimes including rape, indecent assault and unlawful carnal knowledge also increased by 25%, going from 36 in 2015 to 45 in 2016.

Wounding by firearms fell sharply from 15 in 2015 to 5 in 2016, a decrease of 66%, while wounding by other means rose by 65%, from 69 in 2015 to 114 in 2016.

Drug offences, namely possession, trafficking, importation of illegal drugs, went from 204 in 2015 to 275, an increase of 34%.

Malicious damage and arson almost doubled in 2016, going from 86 in 2015 to 167 in 2016, up 94%.

Offences under the category of other crimes also rose from 29 in 2015 to 47 in 2016.

The number of robberies decreased by 12%, from 65 in 2015 to 57 in 2016.