Crime rate slightly up as holidays near - SJDM Police

Anamarie Antolin, Candy Pagalilauan | The Capitol

Posted on November 30, 2022 | 10:00 AM

The Bulacan Police Provincial Office San Jose Del Monte City Police Station recorded a minor increase in the city’s crime rate by the end of the third quarter of the year, according to the data report by the city’s Crime Registrar office.

As the Christmas holidays near, the city recorded a 22.73 percent crime rate in the months of July, August, and September, slightly higher than the previously recorded 18.46 percent last quarter from April, May, and June.

The agency recorded 39 crimes against property in the said period, specifically 21 records of robbery, 10 of theft, and eight incidents of carnapping.

There were also three recorded murder cases, one of which involved a Chinese national who was shot in front of his hardware in Muzon.

Police Provincial Headquarters in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

“We always anticipate an increase in crimes during ‘ber’ months,” SJDM's Chief of Police PTCOL Ronaldo Mahinay Lumactod Jr. said in an interview with The Capitol. “But the San Jose del Monte police are always on the double to prevent the occurrence of crime in our area,” he then added.

In addition to that, PTCOL Lumactod Jr. said the commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day was generally peaceful citywide. According to him, no criminal cases were committed during the Undas season after a strict and heightened police presence, which will also be applied during this Christmas season.

Meanwhile, rape is considered the most prevalent crime committed in the city after 41 cases of rape were recorded last quarter, based on the city’s crime statistics.

PTCOL Lumactod Jr. specified that this type of crime occurred mostly within households, especially during the height of the pandemic and it is still rampant up to this day because of the work and school home setup.

PNP data showed that 7,197 rape cases were monitored in the country from January to November, much lower than the record for the same period in 2021.

Lumactod said that city police are in constant coordination with the local government unit to address these types of issues, concerns, and conflicts in the area.