BACOLOD City – The volume of eight focus crimes in Negros Occidental showed a 26-percent drop, following the implementation of strict quarantine measures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Records of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office showed that from March 17 to April 14, only 26 index crimes have been recorded, lower by nine, compared to 35 between Feb. 17 and March 16.
The eight focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, car, and motorcycle theft. These are also known as index crimes or crimes against persons and property.
Colonel Romeo Baleros, police provincial director, said the figures show a significant decrease in the total crime volume in the past 29 days.
Theft incidents dropped by 80 percent, from the previous five to only one.
There is an increase, however, in incidents of homicide and physical injury, but these mostly happened in domestic settings, Baleros said.
He appealed to Negrenses to cooperate with the police in the strict enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine until April 30.
From March 17 to April 14, a total of 1,221 curfew violators were arrested in Negros Occidental, of which 16 are facing charges.
The remaining 1,205 have been counseled and advised to go home.(With a report from PNA/PN)
