1,138 people have been murdered in the country since the start of the year.

According to the police, the figure recorded up to Saturday, December 28, is 259 fewer, than the 1,397 murders recorded in the similar time last year.

Murders have been reduced by 18.5%.

St. James had the highest number of murders with 125 followed by St. Andrew South, with 118.

Portland recorded the least murders with 13.

Meanwhile, incidents of rape and robbery decreased.

Cases of rape declined by 129 and robberies went down by 165.

The number of break-ins, however, increased by 6.