The number of crimes recorded in the first quarter of this year saw a slight increase of 8.6% compared with the same quarter last year, with serious assaults down by 55.6% while robbery and theft up by 34%.

Releasing the crime statistics for the first quarter of 2008 at a press conference today, the Secretary for Security, Mr Cheong Kuok Va, said police would continue to fight crime with effective measures.

The total number of crimes recorded in the first quarter stood at 3,345, an increase of 8.6%. However, the number of serious assaults, intimidation, blackmail, forgery and transferring counterfeit money cases plummeted between 23.6% and 55.6%.

The number of violent crimes went up by 13.6%, with arson up 157.1%. Cases of snatching and theft increased by 34.3% and 34.2%, drug trafficking by 55.6% and drug abuse by 31.1%.

Juvenile crimes remained about the same, with an increase of one case, to 40, with 90 young people having been involved in crimes.

In the same period the police have arrested 982 people and transferred them to the Public Prosecutions Office.

They also caught 19,199 illegal immigrants and overstayers in the same period.