Nationally, according to the report, murders were up 0.3 percent and robberies increased 6 percent.

Car theft and robbery increased sharply, but burglary and larceny dropped.

In recent months armed robberies have increased in Antigua, mostly at night targeting pedestrians on less frequented roads.

In the past month, robberies have increased 18 percent and assaults with a deadly weapon 14 percent, according to the police.

There have been two murders in Mount Vernon this year, and robberies have increased 29 percent since 1994.

And robberies have increased 32 percent since 1999, with 33 during that period this year, compared with 24 last year.

The attacks on the drivers has perplexed the police, who note that robberies of livery drivers have not increased since last year.

Also, another study showed that robberies, assaults, and gang activity have increased in the 2009-2010 school year.

For May, robberies increased 13.7 percent.

The number of rapes remained the same there, 38, and robberies increased 13 percent, to 527 from 466.