Crime figures dipped in Bermuda after a number of persistent burglars were arrested in the second half of 2006.

However, statistics show the number of burglaries throughout the year — as well as the overall crime — was slightly up on 2005.

There were 267 burglaries during the last three months of the year, a sharp decrease on the 336 and 316 recorded in the second and third quarters respectively.

Police say the reduction followed a number of high-profile arrests of burglars towards the end of the year. It helped produce positive figures for the final three months of 2006, when a total of 598 crimes were recorded, down from 733 for the previous three months, from July to September.

Over the course of the year, however, 1,142 burglaries took place on the Island, up from 1,046 in 2005.

This reflected a general trend of rising crime, which showed an overall total of 2,637 crimes, compared with 2,572 last year.

Announcing the results at a press conference yesterday, officers accepted burglaries had decreased recently, but conceded the overall figures for 2006 could have been better.

"Burglaries continue to be a cause for concern", said Assistant Police Commissioner Carlton Adams.

"Earlier this year, we arrested two men between them responsible for 75 offences of burglary.

"The figures for burglary indicate a decrease compared to the third quarter. But overall, burglary shows a significant increase over the last year.

"Overall this year, the total crime is up very slightly on last year."

Referring to the burglary figures, Acting Det. Insp. Peter Brentano, Bermuda Police Service's crime manager, said: "A number of high profile arrests were made in the third quarter and again this quarter, which ultimately had an impact on the burglary figure."

Officers recorded 305 violent incidents in 2006, down slightly on the 309 for the previous year, despite figures soaring in the last few months of the year.

There were three murders during the year, the same as in 2005, and two attempted murders, one up on the previous year.

Assaults causing grievous bodily harm leapt from 52 in 2005 to 75 last year, while sexual assaults were up from 49 to 59.

However, incidents of wounding dropped from 61 to 55, firearms from 10 to six, robberies from 107 to 89 and attempted robberies from 18 to 7.

Theft figures remained almost unchanged, with 263 in 2006 compared with 262 in 2005. Of these, thefts from people went up from 48 to 58, while thefts from unattended vehicles dropped from 168 to 158.

Police said people could help combat theft and burglary figures by refusing to accept stolen goods.

"Purchasing stolen goods is not a victimless crime," said Acting Det. Insp. Brentano.

"One approach to drive down burglaries and other acquisitive crime is by reducing the market for stolen goods.

"It is a criminal offence to receive stolen property — please don't become a criminal by receiving stolen goods. It is all about demand and supply." A breakdown of the burglary figures shows the number which took place in shops nearly doubled, from 75 in 2005 to 146 last year. Residential burglaries went up from 443 to 494, school burglaries from 31 to 37 and office burglaries from 46 to 68.

Police reported the number of vehicles taken without consent was cut from 955 in 2005 to 927 last year.

The number of cars taken without consent fell from 44 to 37, the number of motorcycles from 521 to 506, and auxiliary cycles from 282 to 251.