Is it still safe to be outside....

There has been quite frequent rob&kill, rob&slash, rob&rape cases popping up in the media lately. Real alarming if you ask me.
Am wondering if its the police who has been slacking (after all, they did circulate a note saying that with the advent of the internal audit committee for the police force, they would let crime slide upwards), or are the robbers getting more bold in their activities.
Which ever the case.... how safe is it for us to go outside these days?