The Belize Police Department has reported a significant decline in major crimes over the past year. However, their end-of-year statistics show a slight increase in the murder rate, rising from 87 in 2023 to 89 in 2024. Despite this uptick, the current murder rate is still a reduction compared to previous years, when rates consistently exceeded three digits.
On January 8th, recent data was presented at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan, the capital city. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams reported that the analysis for 2024 indicated a 16% reduction in major crimes. However, he noted a slight increase in homicides compared to the previous year. “Overall, there were 1,075 major crimes in 2024, down from 1,285 in 2023,” he stated.
Williams highlighted that the Eastern Division, which includes the Cayes, experienced a 24% reduction in major crimes. “In 2024, it is the only year in history I could recall where the Eastern Division does not account for more than half of the country’s murder count,” Williams said. In 2024, there were 89 murders reported, with 39 occurring in the Eastern Division. This figure has been higher in previous years.
The report indicated a decrease in major crimes across various divisions. The Easter Division recorded 408 major crimes in 2024, down from 535 in 2023. The Northern Division reported 173 major crimes in 2024, compared to 185 the previous year. There were 235 major crimes in the Western Division in 2024, a reduction from 267 reported in 2023. Finally, the Southern Division saw 259 major crimes in 2024, down from 298 in 2023. The crimes included rape, robbery, burglary, and theft.
In 2024, major crimes in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, such as fatal shootings, were relatively low. In June, Steven Arceo was fatally shot in the Secret Beach area following a reported break-in. Later, in November, Matthew Moses was shot dead by a property caretaker north of San Pedro. No one was charged in both cases, and the incidents were deemed acts of self-defense.

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