Crime Numbers Decline 10.2 Percent
Charles County Sheriff Rex W. Coffey announced that a preliminary review of the 2012 year-end Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) numbers shows crime in Charles County dropped 10.2 percent – marking the fourth year in a row in which crime has declined.
The Uniform Crime Report consists of Part I crimes which include: homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, thefts, and motor vehicle thefts. A total of 3,921 crimes were reported in Charles County for 2012, down from 4,366 in 2011; 4,425 in 2010 and 4,433 in 2009.
The year-end results show a decline in almost every category of crime. Motor vehicle thefts dropped 32.4 percent; burglaries went down 20.6 percent; robberies declined 14.7 percent and thefts decreased 5.3 percent. There were six homicides in 2012 compared to three in 2011. Detectives made arrests in three of the cases and an indictment is pending in another. Rapes went from 26 in 2011 to 32 in 2012 – there were no cases in which the suspect and victim did not know each other.
“The good news is that for the last several years, crime has not kept pace with our population growth,” said Sheriff Coffey. “I would attribute that to many factors including excellent crime analysis, solid crime fighting strategies, high police visibility, dedicated employees, improved technology, and strong relationships with the community.
“On the downside, I’m still bothered by the fact that some of our residents have been victims of crime. While lower crime numbers bring all of us some satisfaction, it’s little consolation for those who have been victimized. As long as crime exists, we will continue to put forth every effort to keep our county safe,” said Sheriff Coffey.
Overall, crime has decreased 23 percent in the past five years and is 21 percent lower than it was a decade ago.
