BERMUDA was hit by one of the biggest crime waves in recent years this summer, according to police statistics, writes Gareth Finighan. In the three months to September 30, a total of 749 crimes were reported to police — a rise of 55 on the same period last year.

And one of the biggest increases was in violent crime, with police investigating 86 instances of violence — including one murder and one attempted murder — in the three-month period.

There were also 20 reports of grievous bodily harm, 17 cases of wounding, 21 robberies and a 50 per cent increase in sexual assaults to 18.

In the third quarter of last year 70 crimes of violence were reported. In 2004, 64 cases were reported while in 2003 police investigated 39 violent crimes

A police spokesman said: “Of particular concern is the number of assaults involving serious injury and the number of sexual assaults. The Bermuda Police Service is concerned that not all sexual assaults are being reported to the police.”

There were also 316 burglaries in the three months, a rise of almost ten per cent on last year, while 70 thefts were investigated.

Vehicle crime also rose on last year, albeit by just 13 to 277 incidents and well below 2002’s peak when 395 cases were reported. The theft of cars almost doubled, however, from 12 cases in the third quarter of 2005 to 23 this year.

Assistant Commissioner Carlton Adams later told a press conference that repeat offenders were responsible for a high proportion of the crimes.

“Our enforcement efforts continue to be tasked by those persons who are part of the recidivist revolving door — that is those career criminals who are arrested, charged convicted, incarcerated and released only to repeat similar behaviour.”

Commenting on an increase in the number of people arrested for carrying a bladed weapon — 17 people were arrested for the offence in the third quarter of the year compared to seven last year — Acting Superintendent Paul Wright acknowledged that the deterrent of tough new laws introduced last year had dwindled after an initial decline in arrests.

“Almost immediately we saw a significant decline in the number of assaults involving wounding or GBH simply because when an assault took place a person didn’t immediately have to hand the sharply pointed or bladed article,” he said.

“But we have seen those gains eroded in the last two quarters.

“We are urging people not to carry these weapons around. You need to be aware that there’s a mandatory three-year prison sentence that can be imposed if you’re found guilty of this offence.

“The more weapons that are carried by people, particularly young people, the more the remaining young people feel they need to carry a weapon to be safe or for their own defence.

“But the opposite is the case. The more weapons out there on the street being carried by people, the more likely you are to become a victim of a very serious assault.”

Surge in summer crime reported by police