40% Increase in Murders Blamed on Gangs, Drugs

Reported crimes rose 7.6% in the San Fernando Valley during the first six months of 1988, with murders and auto-related crimes leading the way.

The number of murders in the Los Angeles Police Department’s five Valley divisions went from 35 in the first half of 1987 to 49 in the same period this year, a 40% increase, according to statistics released this week.

Officials attribute much of the rise to violence from increased gang and drug activity. There have been 11 gang-related murders so far this year, compared to 10 during all of last year, police said.

“As long as there is going to be money made in drugs and increased gang involvement, you are going to see more and more murders,” said Deputy Chief Ronald A. Frankle, supervisor of police operations in the Valley.

Fewer Rapes

Police also noted that the 49 murders this year are comparable to the first half of 1986, when 48 murders occurred.

The latest crime statistics also show that aggravated assaults rose in the Valley by 5% to 3,694 reports, while rapes declined 24%, to 197.

In what police call repressible crimes, or property crimes, robberies declined 2.4% and burglaries dropped by about 0.5%.

But auto thefts rose 17.6% to 9,406 reported during the six-month period, or roughly 51 vehicles stolen a day. Burglaries and thefts from vehicles also jumped 14.4% to 9,406 reports.

A police task force has been formed to target auto theft in the Valley, and Frankle noted that the latest statistics were an improvement over first-quarter reports that showed auto theft up by 30%.

“We are getting an improvement but we aren’t satisfied yet,” he said.