Crimes of Violence Jump 23%

Violent crimes reported to Glendale police increased 23%, and property crimes were up by 6% in the first six months of 1989 compared with the same period last year.

From January to June, 281 violent crimes were reported, compared with 227 a year earlier. Violent crimes are defined as murder, rape and attempted rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

Reported property crimes increased from 4,200 to 4,447.

Police officials attributed the trend to an increase in gang activity in Glendale and to the city’s rising population.

“Where there are more people, you’re going to have more crime,” Police Sgt. Dean Durand said. “And we have increased gang activity in Glendale, that’s for sure.”

The city’s population is increasing about 3% a year. From January, 1988, to April, 1989, it went up by about 5,500, city officials said. Much of that increase has been in the southern part of the city and among low-income immigrant groups.

Among violent crimes, 15 rapes and attempted rapes were reported in the first six months of the year, compared with nine in the same period last year. The number of robberies reported also increased, from 108 in the first six months of 1988 to 134 in the same period this year. Aggravated assaults were up, from 107 in the first half of 1988 to 129 this year.

The number of crimes reported in Glendale has been increasing steadily for 10 years, police said.

GLENDALE CRIME STATISTICS Chart shows a comparison of felony crimes in Glendale during the first six months of 1989 as compared to the same period of 1988.

VIOLENT CRIMES

June 1989 June 1988 % Change Murder 3 3 0.0 Rape and Attempts 15 9 +66.7 Robbery 134 108 +24.1 Aggravated Assault 129 107 +20.6 Total 281 227 +23.4

PROPERTY CRIMES

June 1989 June 1988 % Change Burglary 895 835 +7.2 Theft 2,679 2,531 +5.8 Stolen Vehicles 854 816 +4.7 Arson 19 18 +5.6 Total 4,447 4,427 +5.9 Overall Total 4,728 4,427 +6.8

Source: Glendale Police Dept.