During January and February, 513 criminal cases from 13 districts were registered by the Criminal Investigation Service (SIK). 
Criminal Investigation Service (SIK) director Superintendent Calisto Gonzaga said 249 criminal cases were registered in January and 264 were registered in February.
The majority of these cases were related to assault and domestic violence, he said.
The cases were mostly from the Dili, Oe-cusse and Bobonaro districts, while only three cases occurred in the Ainaro district.
The Fretilin Member of Parliament (MP) called on communities to solve any problems calmly.
“Talking to each other is better than trying to kill and hit each other which will not solve the problem but exacerbate it,” he said.
MP Josefa Alvares Soares said the number of crimes committed in just two months was worrisome, with crime rates up this year.
She urged for preventative action to minimize the number of crimes committed.
