New figures reveal crime shot up 18 percent in the last three months with murders, firearms incidents and serious assaults all up compared to the first nine months of last year.

Firearms crime remains at an all-time high. Although there has only been one murder in the past three months, there have been seven so far this year compared to six in all of 2009.

There were 11 injuries as a result of shootings through the quarter, compared to six in the second quarter. Confirmed firearm incidents in the period spanning July 1 to September 30 increased by three to 20 in the third quarter, compared to the same period last year.

Unconfirmed firearm incidents also increased from 38 to 40. Both confirmed and unconfirmed firearm incidents are at an all-time high for a quarterly period.

Commissioner of Police Michael DeSilva said yesterday: "Gun crime is still high. It's still rising and still alarming, and there's more to be done by the Police and more work to be done across the community. Most other categories however, are stable. Public assistance is on the rise and more cases are coming before the courts."

There were also 35 serious assaults in the third quarter compared to 29 in the second quarter. For the year-to-date, there have been 97 serious assaults compared to 84 through the first nine months of 2009 and 110 for the whole of last year.

However, sexual assault, robbery and offences against children are all dropping, and the Police chief reassured the public that the overall crime rate is heading down. Compared to the same period last year, it dropped by 12.8 percent.

He said: "The long-term trend of all crime in Bermuda remains stable, but is now showing signs of a meaningful decrease, particularly crime against the person, which is now at its lowest since quarter one 2009, and crime against property with an 18 percent decrease year-on-year.

"All crime in Bermuda has been decreasing at a steady pace since quarter three 2009. Although crime has increased by nearly 18 percent this quarter, it must be remembered that this is in comparison to quarter two 2010, which was the lowest quarterly figure since 2005. It must be noted that out of the last 23 quarters, 16 were higher than quarter three 2010 and only five were lower."

Revealing plans for Regiment soldiers to assist Police patrols in future, the Police chief pledged to continue a policy of high visibility policing that has been in place since he took over the top job in December 2009.

"Police activity including arrests, calls for service, stop and searches and drug arrests on the street continue to remain at high levels, evidence that there is a focus of Police resources into disrupting gun, gang and drug activity at street level," he said.