The Mayor of the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, says a growing number of unemployed people in the city are resorting to crime.
Andrew Mua says there is a lack of jobs for diverse groups of people who are coming to live in the city, and for young people who have dropped out of school.
He says the crime rate is not high, but the unemployed are becoming the majority in the city, and dissatisfied people are resorting to criminal activities.
"Mostly burglaries, people look for something to survive on, so they start to steal, and they also steal from food gardens, and other things that belong to other people."
Andrew Mua says the city council is starting to run programs to provide employment for people in the city.
The Solomon Islands Police Commissioner, Peter Marshall says crime has actually dropped by 12 percent in Solomon Islands in 2009, and crime in Honiara is mostly petty.