The murder rate in the Colombian capital has dropped to 21 per 100,000 people between January and October, 8% lower than the same period last year, reported El Tiempo newspaper.
There were 1,307 homicides in Bogota between January and October this year, 120 less than the same period in 2010.
It represents a fall from 23.4 murders per 100,000 people to 21, and a reversal of last year’s 10% increase in the homicide rate.
Firearms are the most commonly used weapon, responsible for 64 per cent of all murders, with knives used in 33% of cases. The vast majority of victims, 90%, are men.
Bogota‘s Metropolitan Police Force has also analyzed data on the days of the week murders take place. More than a quarter of all murders, 27%, happen on a Sunday, with Saturday and Monday the next most common days at 18% and 12% respectively.
In the first 10 months of the year police arrested 554 murder suspects and seized more than 2,000 guns and 189,000 knives.
Other crimes which have seen a decrease are car theft (5%), personal theft (3%), home burglaries (16%) and business burglaries (33%).
Crimes that have gone up include motorcycle theft and bank burglaries.
