By Sujin Thomas

WHILE the overall crime cases reported last year decreased by 0.4 per cent, cases involving housebreaking, theft and statutory rape are on the upswing.

Statutory rape cases involving female minors under 14 years who had consensual sex rose 36.1 per cent from 61 in 2008 to 83 cases in 2009.

Boyfriends, friends and acquaintances formed the bulk of the culprits in the cases as in previous years, said police who released the 2009 figures at their annul crime briefing on Monday.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

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