The Kelaniya Police Division has recorded the highest number of crimes so far this year with 2,287 incidents, says a survey conducted by the University of Peradeniya.

The Anuradhapura Police Division has come second with 2,058 crimes, while the Nugegoda Police Division reported 2,018 crimes, Prof. Wasantha Athukorala of Department of Economics of the Peradeniya University says.

Over 1,000 crimes have been reported from the police divisions of Negombo, Kandy, Kurunegala, Mount Lavinia, Colombo, Ratnapura, Gampaha, Kuliyapitiya and Panadura.

Prof. Atukorala says 29,930 incidents of crime have been reported from all police divisions so far this year. 37 percent of crimes have been reported from the Western Province, 13 percent from the North-West Province, 10 percent from the Southern Province, nine percent from the Sabaragamuwa Province and eight perscent from the Central Province.

The survey figures show that 1,466 cases of vehicle theft have been reported during the past 11 months. The majority of them were motorcycle.

The findings show that 14 percent of the stolen vehicle cases were reported from the North-Western Province and 13 per cent were from the Southern Province.

Prof Atukorala says that 3,596 cases of abduction, 6,208 house break-ins, and 2,159 robberies have been reported. Compared to 2020, the number of grave crimes in Sri Lanka has increased by 4,336 in 2021. In 2020, 31,098 crimes were reported and in 2021, the number increased to 35,434.

Prof Atukorala has said that the economic crisis in the country is the main reason for the increase in crime.

“The complete report on crimes in 2022 has not been prepared yet. According to the information received, 29,930 crimes have been reported so far this year,” he has said.