The Fiji Police Force has reported a total of 635 theft cases for the month of July. Notably, three of these incidents involved thefts exceeding half a million dollars, encompassing multiple thefts from a restaurant, a supermarket, and a foreign exchange business. Six employees from these establishments are implicated in these significant theft cases.
Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew noted a substantial rise in the overall crime rate for July, which is up 52 percent compared to the same month in 2023 and 17 percent higher than June’s figures. This surge is attributed to increases in theft, assault, and burglary incidents, with the total number of thefts recorded at 635.
In terms of assault, Mr. Chew stated that there was an increase of 96 cases, totaling 347 reported assaults in July 2024 compared to 251 in the same month last year.
Additionally, the prevalence of illegal narcotics has seen a 42 percent increase, with 188 drug-related incidents reported this July, up from 132 cases the previous year.