The latest police statistics are showing a massive increase in poverty crimes last month compared with March of 2008.

In the figures released this morning, robbery went up by 79 percent last month from 199 to 277.

There was an even larger increase in break-ins, which jumped by 133 per cent from 161 cases in March last year to 294 last month.

Larceny has also gone up.

The police said last month 44 cases were reported compared with 24 in March 2008.