More than 5 hundred people have been murdered in Jamaica since the start of the year.

According to the police, up to Saturday September 27, there were 511 homicides.

This is 351 fewer than the 862 murders recorded in the similar period last year.

St. Andrew South had the highest number of murders at 60, followed by St. Ann with 47.

Portland recorded the least with 9, followed by Trelawny with 10.

The police are also reporting that cases of rape declined by 69.

Meanwhile, robberies went up by 58 and break-ins by 159.