Crime has risen 15 percent in the last three months compared to earlier this year, and police are being called for help more than ever before.A total of 1,139 crimes were committed in the April to June period, compared to 991 in the January to March period. The second quarter of the year also saw a rise in overall crime of seven percent compared to the same period last year. The police service released the figures yesterday, along with news that calls for assistance have continually risen over the last two years.They get 115 calls per day, resulting in an average 12.5 crime reports being filed each day. According to Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva, that compares to an average 14 crime reports per day back in summer 2009.Mr DeSilva said the latest crime statistics are “not worrying” as the long-term trend is going down, but acknowledged that is a “tough message to sell” to the public. The last three months recorded the sixth lowest quarterly crime figure since the beginning of the year 2000.The police chief said during the April to June period: “We have seen upticks on many of the categories. This is not by itself worrying; the first quarter crime rate was the lowest it has been in years so an increase in the second quarter is not that surprising.”He added: “We would be concerned if the numbers continue to rise, but right now the year on year comparisons indicate that the overall crime rate is relatively low in comparison to recent times.”He acknowledged that gun crime, which has seen five men shot and four injured so far this year (see separate story), continues to be of concern to the public.“Overall crime is down, and I know that is a tough message to sell in the current climate, against the backdrop of five gun homicides. It’s hard to see the full context but that’s the reality. Crime is down for the last two years and it seems to be staying at a low rate for the past 12 months.”A breakdown of the figures by sector shows crimes against the person, which include murder, manslaughter, assaults, robbery and sex attacks have gone up by ten percent compared to the start of the year. There have been 196 crimes against the person over the last three months, including two murders and two people injured in gun violence.The statistics are down by ten percent on the same period last year. The five-year trend is also moving slightly downwards, according to the police.Crimes against the community, which include weapons offences, disorder and anti-social behaviour, have gone up by 21 percent in the past three months compared to the start of the year. They have gone down three percent compared to the same period last year.Crimes against property, which include burglary, criminal damage and vehicle theft, have gone up 15 percent compared to the start of the year and are up 16 percent on the same period last year.The Commissioner attributed the recent increase to an additional 63 house burglaries in the last three months but said the long-term trend is still downwards.Traffic collisions increased by 30 percent compared to the first three months of the year. There were 560 in the April to June period, at a rate of nearly six per day.The long-term trend is decreasing.Meanwhile, the number of arrests made by police continues to rise significantly; according to the Commissioner, 1,334 were made in the last quarter.“Between 2009 and now, the average monthly arrest rate has increased each year from 380, to 420, to 435 arrests per month,” he noted.Reflecting on that, together with news that the rate of drug-related arrests and seizures is now two-and-a-half times greater than two years ago (see separate story), Mr DeSilva said: “We are setting records in terms of the amount of enforcement, in terms of drug seizures, arrests and stop-and-searches.”The full text of his speech, along with the latest crime figures, can be viewed on our website at www.royalgazette.com.Useful website: www.bps.bm