Macao's number of reported crimes reached 7,774 cases in the first three quarters of the year, an year-on-year rise of 8.2 percent, local media reported Thursday.

The Macao Post Daily quoted Cheong Kuok Va, Secretary for Security, as saying that the rise of crime rate is partly due to the more frequent street patrols by the law enforcement agencies.

"As we are increasing the level of fighting crimes, the number of recorded crimes will rise," the official was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, The number of violent crime cases in the nine months fell year-on-year 12.3 percent to 571, Cheong told the newspaper.

The special administrative region recorded 2,426 theft cases, 274 robbery cases and 32 arson cases during the period, it reported.

The region has a population of nearly 470,000.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2005)