Overall Crime Falls 13.2% but Murder Rises by 140%
The city’s overall crime rate in the first three months of this year was down 13.2% from to the same period in 1997, Long Beach police officials said.
However, the murder rate was up 140%.
The overall decrease is attributed to the hiring of 200 police officers in recent years and an emphasis on community policing, Mayor Beverly O’Neill said.
But homicides continue to be a big problem. Crime statistics show there were 12 murders during the first three months of this year, compared with five during the same period last year.
Arson and bike thefts also increased.
Aggravated assaults were down nearly 43%, commercial burglaries fell 20% and robberies declined nearly 14%.
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