Amidst 14% decline in overall crime, the aggregate murder up to May 2024 shows a 28 percent over the same period last year, Belize Crime Observatory (BCO) data informs.
In 2023, there were 36 reported murders by the end of May. This number has increased to 46 in 2024. This rise in violent crime highlights a critical area that requires immediate and focused intervention.
In contrast to the spike in murders, the total number of reported crimes has decreased. By May 2023, the total crime count stood at 444, while for the same period in 2024, it has dropped to 381—a reduction of approximately 14%.
This overall decline is largely attributed to decreases in several key categories: robbery incidents fell from 65 in 2023 to 54 in 2024; burglary cases dropped from 258 to 195; theft reports decreased from 53 to 42.
However, some types of crime showed increases: reports of rape rose slightly from 13 in 2023 to 17 in 2024, and unlawful sexual activity cases increased from 19 to 27.
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