Armed robberies in the North have increased by almost 50 per cent in one year, according to the latest figures published by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, writes Paul Tanney, in Belfast.
There were 927 such offences committed in the year 2000/2001 compared with 682 in 1999/2000. Only 115 of the 2000/2001 robberies were solved and 355 of them took place in south Belfast.
Hijackings also doubled with 182 in 2000/2001 compared with 91 the previous year.