The Fiji Police Force reported a total of 635 theft cases for the month of July. Among these cases, three were particularly significant, involving thefts amounting to over half a million dollars. These incidents involved multiple thefts from a restaurant, a supermarket, and a foreign exchange outlet, with six employees implicated across the three businesses.
Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew noted that the overall crime rate in July experienced a steep increase of 52 percent compared to the same month in 2023, and a 17 percent rise when compared to June. This uptick is attributed mainly to cases of theft, assault, and burglary.
In terms of assault, the police recorded a rise of 96 cases, with July 2024 seeing 347 assaults compared to 251 during the same period last year. Additionally, reports of illegal drugs surged by 42 percent, with 188 drug-related incidents noted this year compared to 132 in the previous year.