BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The eight focus crimes, composed of murder, homicide, physical injuries, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping and motorcycle thefts, in Negros Occidental have risen by 50 incidents in the past eight months of the year, compared to the same period from January to August last year.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office logged 466 incidents of the 8 Focus Crimes this year, compared to 416 last year, with cases of robbery and theft among the prevalent crimes perpetrated.
Robbery incidents increased to 68, compared to 29 the previous year, as well as thefts that soared to 125, compared to 65 in the same period of 2021. Homicide cases rose by two incidents, from 24 last year, to 26 this year, and motorcycle thefts rose to 14 from 10.
However, murder cases slightly dropped to 94, compared to 106 last year, along with rape cases that dropped from 135 to 91 this year
Hinobaan, Calatrava and Kabankalan City ranked first among the 31 local government units in Negros Occidental, with the most number of murder cases at seven each, while Manapla, Valladolid and Don Salvador Benedicto logged zero murder incidents from January to August this year, police records show.
Talisay City has the most number of theft cases at 26, Kabankalan City topped the list in terms of robbery cases at 11, and Silay City ranked first in rape cases, at nine.*
