PHUKET: Major crimes on Phuket have fallen by 27.27 percent in a year-on-year comparison of statistics, according to figures from the office of the Phuket Police Commander.

The figures show there were 17 murder cases in the period October 2011 to May compared to 18 in the previous period. Arrests in cases, however, had dropped from 15 to 12.

Fourteen reported rapes occurred in the latest period compared to 19 previously, the figures showed. The number of attempted murders recorded dropped sharply by 48.39 percent from 31 to 16 , the statistics say.

Assaults remained steady with 87 in the 2010-2011 period and 86 between October and May, the figures say. Burglaries were also similar, with 307 in 2010-11 being reduced to 303.

A total of 219 of the earlier cases had been solved and 182 of the more recent cases. Thefts fell from 20 to 16.

More than 70 percent of major crimes on Phuket had been solved, according to the statistics.

Arrests for prostitution had more than doubled from 809 to 1689, the figures showed.

Motorcycle thefts remained similar - 59 in 2010-11 and 60 in 2011-12. Twenty-one other vehicles were stolen in the earlier period, reducing to 11 in 2011-12.