THE Zambia Police Service has recorded a total of 14,569 criminal cases during the third quarter of 2021.

In a statement, Wednesday, police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said the number of criminal cases recorded had increased by 450 from the 14,119 recorded in 2020 during the same period.

He revealed that Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of cases, followed by Copperbelt province.

“The Zambia Police Service recorded 14,569 criminal cases countrywide during the period under review as compared to 14,119 cases recorded under the same period in the year 2020. The number of cases reported increased by 450 representing a 3.08% increase,” he said.

“Lusaka province recorded the highest number of cases accounting for 26.08% followed by Copperbelt province with 14.89% of the total cases reported country-wide. Southern, Eastern and North-Western provinces recorded 11.82%, 10.68% and 9.27% respectively. Luapula province recorded 7.47% while Central recorded 6.83%. Northern recorded 5.11%, Western 4.75% and Muchinga province recorded the lowest number of cases at 3.04%.”

Hamoonga said there was a reduction in the number of arrests made during the third quarter of 2021, compared to 2020 during the same period.

“A total of 7,633 arrests were made representing an arrest rate of 52.39% as compared to 7,829 arrests made in 2020 which represented 55.45%. We recorded a reduction in the arrest rate in the third quarter of the year 2021 as compared to the year 2020,” said Hamoonga.

“The total value of property stolen in the third quarter of 2021 is K87,817,906=00 as compared to K111,617,367=00 stolen under the same period in the year 2020 representing 21.32% reduction, while the total value of property recovered is K14,206,552=00 compared to K11,812,723=00 recovered under the same period in the year 2020, representing 16.85% increase in property recovered.”