L.A. Crime Climbs, but Less Than State’s Overall Rise

Crime in Los Angeles rose 5.2% in 2001, slightly less than the 5.8% rate for California cities as a whole, according to preliminary state figures released Monday.

The 7.5% rise in the city’s murder rate was also lower than the overall state rate of 9.2%, according to the report released by Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer.

Meanwhile, crime in unincorporated Los Angeles County fell by 5.4%, and violent crime dropped by 14.9%. Statewide, despite the increase in homicides, violent crime overall inched up 1.7%.

The report lists the number of major crimes in 75 cities and unincorporated areas with populations of 100,000 or more. These areas account for about 65% of the crime committed in California. The report is not adjusted for increases in population.

In a statement, Lockyer said that although crime has fallen sharply in California over the last few years, “It is never good news when there is a year-to-year increase.”

The attorney general called for more crime prevention programs, including expanded after-school programs, using DNA evidence to find and convict criminals, and continued support for law enforcement.

Across the state, the most dramatic rises came in the Bay Area’s Daly City, with 22.6%, and in San Diego County, at 21.1%. The cities of Berkeley, Downey, Fresno and Sacramento also posted increases greater than 15%.

Violent crime in the Orange County city of Costa Mesa rose 41.8%, largely because the number of robberies more than doubled. Unincorporated areas of Orange County, on the other hand, saw crime drop by 15.4%.

Other Southern California areas that saw crime drop by more than 5% were the cities of Glendale, Pasadena and Thousand Oaks, and Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department saw a 12.1% increase in crime and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department saw a rise of 4.9%