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17% rise in serious violent crime 'No reason' for rise in crimes
(about 11 hours later)
The number of serious violent crimes in Northern Ireland has increased by 17.5% during the past nine months, although the overall crime figure has fallen. The reason behind a 17.5% rise in serious violent crime is hard to find because "it's so small an increase," the Chief Constable has said.
The latest crime statistics are one of the issues on the agenda for Thursday's meeting of the policing board. "Serious violent crime is up by four crimes a week across a population of 1.75 million and a territory of 5,500 square miles," said Sir Hugh Orde.
The crime rate in Northern Ireland has been falling for a number of years and is at its lowest for almost a decade. "It's so small an increase, it's very hard to identify what it is down to."
However, there were 212 more serious violent crimes in the last nine months than the same period last year. There were 212 more cases of serious violent crime in the last nine months compared to the same period last year.
This category includes murder, manslaughter and firearms and explosives offences. The category includes murder, manslaughter and firearms and explosives offences.
Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde will be asked to outline what police are doing to tackle the increase at the board meeting. Sir Hugh Orde told the policing board the overall crime figures for NI in the past nine months had fallen, with a 1% fall in the total number of crimes during the past nine months.
However, the figures also show the overall decline in crime has continued, with a 1% fall in the total number of crimes during the past nine months. The crime rate is at its lowest level for almost a decade.