A total of 9,497 criminal cases were recorded in Macao during the first nine months of 2009, a drop by 6.5 percent over the same period of last year, the security chief of Macao announced on Friday.

Only four of these crimes were cases of murder while violent crimes decreased by 21.8 percent in the period, according to the figures provided by Cheong Kuoc Va, the SAR's Secretary for Security.

Crimes against persons and crimes against property reached 1, 909 cases and 4,907 cases respectively during the period, which dropped by 4 percent and 12.2 percent year-on-year respectively.

In terms of juvenile cases, some 84 cases involving 135 minors were recorded in the period, which were 39 cases fewer than last year.

Some 2,225 persons were arrested by local police and later transferred to the Prosecution's Office, said Cheong at a press conference here.

The status of local public security continued to be improved given the decreasing criminal activities, he said.

Aside from crimes, local security authorities also recorded 124, 607 illegal immigrants and persons who over-stayed.

Cheong said that the security authorities will pay close attention to the situation, and carry out proper measures to prevent and fight illegal over-staying in the SAR.