(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – According to the reports of the Police Department, in the first 11 months of this year, there have been 3,556 kidnappings and 1,466 vehicle thefts, Professor Wasantha Athukorala of Peradeniya University’s Department of Economics and Statistics says.
He said that 799 kidnappings have been reported in 2020 and 835 in 2021 and there is a clear increase in the data this year.
Motorcycles and three wheelers are the most stolen vehicles. Professor Athukorala stated that 39% of the stolen vehicles were reported from the Western Province, 14% from the North Western Province and 13% from the Southern Province.
He said that 29,330 violent crimes have been reported in the first 11 months of this year. He said that police department reports show that 31098 violent crimes have been reported in 2020 and 35434 in 2021.
According to reports, 29,330 crimes against children have been reported in the first 11 months of this year. Professor Athukorala said that police department reports show that 31,098 crimes against children have been reported in 2020 and 35,434 in 2021.
The reports show that 10,879 of the reported crimes against children this year have been reported from the Western Province and it is 37% compared to the total number.
When taken as police divisions, the highest number of crimes against children were reported from Kelaniya police division and the number is 2287. Prof. Athukorala says that 2,056 juvenile crimes have been reported from Anuradhapura Division.
In the first 11 months of this year, 497 murders have been reported, of which 223 were due to shootings and assaults.
Police department reports show that 6,208 house break-ins and 2,159 robberies have been reported so far this year.
