Newly released crime statistics from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda have revealed a mixed picture of public safety across the twin-island nation for the first seven months of 2026, with certain serious offense categories climbing even as total reported crime falls year-over-year.
Assistant Commissioner Lisbon Michael, the leader of the force’s Criminal Investigations Department, shared the latest data in a public interview with ABS’ flagship current affairs program *Antigua Barbuda Today*, where he broke down trends across major crime classifications.
According to Michael, residential and commercial break-ins have seen a notable uptick compared to the same period in 2025. Between January and July of this year, law enforcement documented 97 breaking-and-entering offenses, a 14% increase from the 85 cases recorded during the first seven months of 2025, marking a net rise of 12 reported incidents.
This upward shift in break-ins comes despite a steady decline in the total volume of reported crime across the country. In 2026, 1,756 criminal offenses were reported to police by the end of July, down from 1,887 in the 2025 corresponding period. That number represents a significant drop from 2024, when 2,227 crimes were registered over the same seven-month window.
Not all minor crime categories are trending upward, however: robbery offenses also fell, dropping from 115 reported incidents in early 2025 to 94 this year. But two of the most serious violent crime classifications have bucked the overall downward trend. Homicides rose from nine cases in January–July 2025 to 11 this year, while reported shooting incidents increased by six cases, jumping from 18 to 24 over the same comparison period.
The release of the updated statistics coincides with ongoing implementation of Operation Restore Confidence, a targeted law enforcement initiative launched by the Antigua and Barbuda Police Force to curtail gun-related violence and other high-priority serious offenses. Key tactics under the operation include expanded stop-and-search patrols and targeted enforcement operations designed to disrupt criminal networks and reduce violent offending across the islands.