Despite RSLPF reports 16% crime drop, firearm offenses and attempted murders climb
CASTRIES, St Lucia — The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) reports 16% crime drop for the first nine months of 2025, but officials cautioned that firearm offenses and attempted murders are on the rise.
Superintendent of Police Troy Lamontagne, head of the Department of Road Safety and Traffic Investigations, presented the crime analysis at a press briefing on Thursday. He said 10,557 cases were recorded from January 1 to September 24, compared to 12,552 cases during the same period in 2024.
“This represents a reduction of 1,965 cases, or 16 percent,” Lamontagne said. He cautioned, however, that crime detections also fell by 18 percent over the same period.
Central Division leads in criminal cases
The report showed that the Central Division registered the largest share of incidents, accounting for 42 percent of cases. The Southern Division followed with 35 percent, while the Northern Division recorded 23 percent. The Central Division of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force covers Castries and adjoining high-density urban zones, which tend to experience more reported incidents.
Seven out of eight priority crimes saw declines. Murders dropped slightly from 58 in 2024 to 57 this year. Burglaries decreased by 40 percent, robberies by 29 percent, narcotics cases by 14 percent, motor vehicle thefts by 36 percent, stealing from the person by 1 percent, and sexual offenses by 26 percent. Fire incidents rose by 4 percent.
From January through September, 59 homicides were reported, including 57 murders, one police-related shooting, and one case still unclassified. The Central Division accounted for 29 of those murders, more than half of the national total.
Attempted murders more than doubled
Lamontagne flagged attempted murders as a growing concern. Cases more than doubled from 20 in 2024 to 41 in 2025.
“Every attempt to unlawfully kill is a potential murder case, and this is cause for concern,” he said.
The majority of homicides were carried out with firearms, accounting for 48 of the 57 murders. Sharp objects were used in 10 cases and blunt instruments in two. Police linked 27 killings to gang activity, with 12 identified as reprisals. Four were tied to domestic disputes, and 11 remain under investigation.
Men represented nearly all victims, with 54 males compared to three females. The largest age group affected was between 21 and 30 years old, accounting for 28 victims.
This year’s homicide figures include several major incidents already reported by Unitedpac St Lucia News, such as the triple homicide in Vieux Fort where three people were found dead inside a vehicle and the burnt vehicle discovered in Canelles tied to violent crime investigations. Other cases included the shooting of two men in Bexon that left one dead and another critical, followed by a second Bexon victim who later died from his injuries, and the Dennery shootings in Grande Ravine that claimed two lives.
Firearm seizures reach historic high
Firearm offenses rose by 4 percent, climbing from 241 cases in 2024 to 250 this year. Despite the increase, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force reported the highest number of illegal weapons ever recovered within a nine-month period.
To date, officers have confiscated 94 illegal firearms and more than 4,856 rounds of ammunition. Seized weapons included 66 pistols, nine rifles, five shotguns, five revolvers, three imitation firearms, and one submachine gun. Police also recovered 74 regular magazines and 14 extended magazines. The scale of these seizures represents an unprecedented disruption of the illegal arms trade on the island.
Recent enforcement efforts reflect these numbers. Unitedpac St Lucia News has reported on a Vieux Fort police raid where officers seized firearms and ammunition, as well as a Barnard Hill police operation in Castries that resulted in additional arrests and weapons recovered.
Traffic accidents down but violations surge
Road safety figures showed improvements in collisions and fatalities but a surge in traffic violations.
Police recorded 3,815 vehicle collisions in 2025, down from 4,161 in 2024. Serious crashes declined from 241 to 189, while road deaths dropped from 20 to 10.
At the same time, traffic violations spiked. Officers issued 13,502 fixed penalty tickets this year compared to 5,252 last year, representing a 157 percent increase. Most violations occurred in the Central and Northern Divisions. The increase reflects intensified enforcement of traffic laws, particularly in heavier traffic corridors.
Call for intelligence-led policing
Lamontagne said the findings highlight both progress and challenges in law enforcement.
“These results underscore the importance of continued intelligence-led policing, targeted operations, and community partnerships to reduce crime and enhance public safety across Saint Lucia,” he told reporters.
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