MEMBERS OF the Partido Popular (PP) opposition group in Mijas have demanded a greater presence from the Local Police force in the municipality after statistics showed an increase in crime figures in the area.
In the first three months of 2016, just over 1,000 crimes were recorded in Mijas, but that figure rose to over 1,200 between January and March this year, equivalent to a 12.6% increase.
However the municipality has seen a worrying sharp increase in break-ins in homes and businesses with an increase of 76% on average between the first quarter of 2016 and the same period of 2017. Domestic burglaries went up by 77%; the 88 cases reported between January and March 2016 rose to 156 in the same period in 2017.
According to PP criticism the “scarce police presence” on the streets of Mijas due to accrued leave, as well as the “questionable management of the force” are among the main causes of the worrying statistics.
A report from the party has therefore demanded more police in residential areas because of the “feeling of vulnerability and insecurity that our neighbours and residential tourists” are currently experiencing.
The PP has also called for immediate changes to the Local Police management, as they believe that it “has shown ample evidence over the last two years of its increasingly apparent inability to run a human resources department at the force”.
However the mayor of Mijas, Juan Carlos Maldonado, rejected the party’s demands during last week’s council session, saying that the law “very clearly states the functions of [the town-hall run] Local Police, and preventing burglaries is not one of the responsibilities that corresponds with Local Police duties”.
“[PP-controlled] Fuengirola has also seen an increase in crime, but do you think that the Local Police force is not working as well as it should be there?” said Maldonado, who added that the PP should be demanding more National Police presence from central government.