Despite currently enjoying a 38 per cent decline in major crimes, there remains heightened concern in St Elizabeth about an uptick in murders, according to Superintendent Coleridge Minto, the police commander for the parish.

Minto, who was delivering his crime report at Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation (StEMC), said the division has recorded 73 major crimes, which is 44 less than the corresponding period last year.

“So far to date, the division has recorded 73 major crimes. This is in comparison to 117 major crimes for the same period last year, a reduction of 44 or 38 per cent,” said Minto. “The only area of increase is in murders, where the division has recorded 10 murders compared to five last year.”