Phuket crime statistics: September 2010

PHUKET: According to the latest crime statistics released by the Phuket Provincial Police, crime in September fell year-on-year.

The number of crimes reported in most categories last month dropped compared with the number announced for September 2009.

The only major increases were in the number of gambling cases reported.

Gambling: 160 people arrested in 59 reported cases, a 47.5% increase year-on-year.

Underground lottery: 44 arrests in 44 cases, up 193.3% year-on-year.

Firearms: 11 people arrested in 11 cases, down 45.0% year-on-year.

Prostitution: 83 arrests in 83 reported cases, down 13.5% year-on-year.

Drugs: 241 arrests in 222 cases, down 3.5% year-on-year.

Seizures in drug cases included 13,365 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and three bags of ya Ice (crystal methamphetamine) weighing a total of 47.5 grams.

Of the 241 people arrested on drug charges, 24 were charged with selling drugs; 47 for possession with intent to sell; 88 with possession; and 82 for drug consumption.

There was a 20% drop in Category 1 (“heinous”) crimes, including premeditated murder, muggings, gang muggings, kidnapping and arson. Two murders were reported in September 2010, with no one arrested in either case.

There was also a 24% decrease in Category 2 (“physical abuse”) crimes, which include premeditated murder as well as murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, assault, rape and sexual assault. The number of assault cases reported remained the same, at 13. There were also two rapes reported.

Category 3 crimes, which include theft and most other crimes involving private property, were down 3.7% overall. There were 41 general theft cases reported for the period with 22 arrests, a 14.6% decrease in the number of thefts reported overall.

There was a decrease in car theft, with just four cases reported in September 2010 vs 11 in September 2009.

Eighteen cases of embezzlement accounted for a 12.5% increase year-on-year.

There were four cases of fraud reported, with no arrests.