Politics & Government

DATA: Crime Down Overall in Gaithersburg

Serious crimes see a slight increase over last quarter.

Crime dropped 8.6 percent in the City during the third quarter of 2011, compared to the same period last year, according to crime statistics released today by the Gaithersburg Police Department.

And although there was a 2.4 percent decrease in overall crime between the second and third quarters of 2011, there was an increase in the number of rapes, aggravated assaults, burglaries and auto thefts in the City, the data shows.

Compared to the second quarter of 2011, the third quarter saw a 200.0 percent increase in rapes (from 1 to 3), a 25.0 percent increase in aggravated assaults (from 16 to 20), an 8.2 percent increase in burglaries (from 49 to 53) and a 13.0 percent increase in auto thefts (from 23 to 26).

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Overall part I crimes, which are more serious, were up just .4 percent, from 455 to 457.

Part II crimes, which are less serious, decreased by 3.7 percent, from 944 to 909 during the third quarter.

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Compared with third quarter 2010, both part I and part II crimes decreased in 2011.

Part I was down 3.2 percent, from 472 to 457. Part II was down 11.1 percent, from 1,022 to 909.

Mayor Sidney Katz said he is grateful to live in an area recently named one of the top five most secure in the country.

"Thanks goodness our crime is very low," he said. "We're always very, very pleased when the crime rate decreases."

The increase in the number of auto thefts, he said, could be combated with a public education campaign about the dangers of leaving vehicles unlocked and windows down.

In the third quarter of 2011, there were 6 more vehicles stolen (26) than in the third quarter of 2010—a 30 percent increase.

And compared with the period of January through September in 2010, the same period in 2011 saw five more vehicles stolen (66).


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