Yesterday a senior Policeman linked the wave to people using heroin and cocaine.

The latest crime saw a 42-year-old Southampton man stabbed to death on Sunday night.

Mr. Clarence Ellsworth (Trees) Smith, of Riviera Road, was knifed at Southampton Rangers Club.

He was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital with serious internal injuries, and died shortly afterwards.

Police spokesman P.c. Gary Venning said the stabbing apparently followed a row between Mr. Smith and another man.

Last night The Royal Gazette received reports the pair had been arguing over a drug deal.

A 19-year-old Southampton man is in Police custody in connection with the stabbing.

Yesterday Acting Assistant Commissioner Wayne Perinchief released figures showing a major upsurge in crime.

The figures were preliminary, and would probably be updated, he said.

According to these statistics, nightime burglaries last year shot up by 20 percent on 1992, and store break-ins by 27 percent.

Robberies, meanwhile, rose by 12 percent.

Supt. Perinchief pointed out over the last four or five months there had been seven robberies, including the one at Roosters Restaurant in Court Street and Warwick Mini-Mart.

In almost every case the robbers had been armed, he said.

Weapons ranged from a hammer to a machete. In one robbery a firearm was thought to have been involved.

Supt. Perinchief, however, did not believe there was an increasing use of firearms.

Police reckoned crooks were using imitation guns, or air pistols.

Supt. Perinchief had his own theory as to the reason for the burst in crime.

With hotels closed, and no cruise ships, many people were short of money.

But that was not the only problem.

Said Supt. Perinchief: "I believe people are abusing heroin. People get extremely desperate when they want heroin and go into withdrawal.

"Instead of shooting heroin they are smoking it, and they are snorting it with cocaine.'' Supt. Perinchief said people resorted to crime to find cash for their addiction.

"We are also seeing a general increase in violence in domestic matters,'' he said.

Street fights -- with gangs picking on individuals -- had also risen, he said.