The Fiji Police Force has reported a total of 635 theft cases for July. Notably, three of these incidents involved thefts surpassing half a million dollars. These significant cases included multiple thefts from a restaurant, a supermarket, and a foreign exchange outlet, implicating six employees from these establishments.
Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew indicated that the overall crime rate for July rose by 52 percent in comparison to the same month in 2023, and saw a 17 percent increase from June. This rise was primarily attributed to theft, assault, and burglary incidents.
In terms of violence, assault cases also witnessed a surge, with 347 cases reported in July 2024, an increase of 96 cases compared to 251 cases during the same month last year.
Regarding drug-related offenses, the report revealed a 42 percent escalation in illegal narcotics cases, with 188 drug instances documented compared to 132 from the previous year during the same timeframe.