INCREASE IN CRIME

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 289, 6 September 1928, Page 10

INCREASE IN CRIME

LAST YEAR’S RETURNS AUCKLAND HEADS LIST Increases in crime, especially serious offences, are revealed in the returns for last year, presented to Parliament yesterday in the annual report of the Police Department. The offences reported to the police during the year ended December 31, 1927, states the report, show an aggregate net increase of 529 on the figures for 1926. The proportion of offences to the population was 2.21, as against 2.10 the previous year. The number of offences reported was 32,144, arrests or summonses resulting in 29,799 cases. . > The principal increases related to false pretences (191). burglary, etc. (251) arson (23). breaches of peace (86), vagrancy (59). gaming offences (252) failure to maintain wives, etc. (142), selling liquor after hours (64), found on licensed premises after hours (160). and breaches of Motor Vehicles Act (982). Decreases were recorded with respect to common assault (56), attempted theft from dwellings (68), drunkenness (970), indecent acts (72), obscene language (71), assaulting or resisting police (49), unlawfully using motor-cars (66), breaches of Arms Act (135). Auckland easily headed the list for the number of offences reported, its total being 8861, as against 5398 for Wellington, 4182 for Christchurch, and 1614 for Dunedin. Serious erime in the Dominion showed an increase for the year. In 1926. 1224 such offences were reported and 847 arrests were made. In 1927, 1520 offences were reported and 1081 arrests resulted. In both years thirteen murders were committed, seven arrests being made last year as against nine in 1926.