On Wednesday of last week, police released a statement touting a first-quarter drop in reports of sexual offences, serious assaults and burglaries.
But the next day, they released another statement acknowledging a “net rise in overall crime” during the same quarter driven in part by a 100 percent increase in robberies and sharp spikes in vehicle thefts, property damage and minor assaults.
Members of the public, however, will not be able to judge the whole situation for themselves: Despite repeated requests from the Beacon, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force has not released comprehensive crime statistics for years.
First statement
The first statement issued last week was titled “Crime drops to five-year low in key areas, says RVIPF.”
Claiming “some of the most significant reductions in serious crime in recent years,” it listed three areas where reports dropped in this year’s first quarter:
• serious assaults declined by 17 percent compared to the same period in 2024, falling 11 percent below the five-year average;
• sexual offences were down 42 percent year-on-year and 36 percent below the five-year average; and
• “other burglaries, including break-ins at business premises, construction sites and storage facilities,” were down 44 percent year-on-year and 30 percent below the five-year average.
“These represent the lowest first-quarter figures for these offences in at least five years,” the statement continued. “Murder rates remain low, with one case recorded in the first quarter of 2025, the same as in 2024 and a significant reduction from 2021, which saw four cases during the same period.”
Drug seizures
The release also touted the seizure of more than 12 kilograms of marijuana, 2,900 marijuana plants and 2,447 seedlings during the quarter.
Additionally, seven pistols and two rifles were recovered, “exceeding totals for the same period last year,” according to police.
Ammunition seizures, meanwhile, rose from 152 to 389 rounds.
“The results for the first quarter of 2025 highlight a clear and encouraging trend,” police claimed. “These gains are the result of focused enforcement, intelligence-led operations, and strong community partnerships — demonstrating that collaborative efforts continue to yield real results in the fight against crime.”
A different story
The next day’s press release — titled “RVIPF cautions against complacency over crime trends in the first quarter of 2025” — painted a rather different picture.
“While we are celebrating our wins reported for the first quarter of 2025, the RVIPF is urging the public not to lose sight of emerging concerns as some other crime categories show upward trends,” it stated.
Other crime number up
The release went on to list crime rates that climbed during the first quarter:
• robberies doubled year-on-year, with 12 in the first quarter of this year compared to six in the same quarter of 2024;
• cases for damaging property rose by 75 percent year-on-year, with 24 more cases this year than last;
• vehicle thefts increased by 47 percent year-on-year, with eight more cases this year than last; and
• minor assaults were up by 25 percent year-on-year, with 18 more reported cases this year than last.
“The increases in damaging property and minor assaults arose mostly out of domestic dispute incidents,” the release stated. “Reducing these will require continuation from the police, social services, volunteer organisations and other groups and individuals in the community.”
In the second press release, acting Police Commissioner Jacqueline Vanterpool stressed the importance of community partnerships in tackling crime.
“We urge the community to remain vigilant and work with the RVIPF to sustain these hard-won gains,” she said. “Together, we must reverse the concerning trends in robberies, minor assaults, and other areas, to ensure long-term safety and security across the territory.”
Statistics request
After being asked on Sunday evening for comprehensive crime statistics for the past five or 10 years, Police Information Officer Akia Thomas-Nero said she would do her best to provide them.
She had not done so as of press time yesterday afternoon.
