Crime was down in six out of seven Part 1 crime categories, police said in a release Monday.
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"We are pleased that our crime numbers are trending in the right direction," said Durham Police Chief C.J. Davis. "While there is still much work ahead of us, I am proud of the hard work being done by our employees every day. Partnering with our residents is essential in enhancing the quality of life for all Durham communities."
READ MORE: See the full crime report here (.pdf)
Part 1 violent crime (homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) dropped 41 percent from 596 reported during the first quarter of 2017 to 350 reported during the first three months of 2018. There were double-digit percentage decreases in reported rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults. The largest percentage decrease was in robberies which dropped by 48 percent, bringing robberies to the lowest first-quarter numbers since 2012.
Homicides increased by one from five reported during the first quarter of 2017 to six reported this year. Investigators have solved five of the six homicide cases.
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Reported Part 1 property crimes (burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft) decreased by 18 percent from 2,295 in the first quarter of 2018 to 1,877 during the same period in 2017. There were decreases in all property crime categories.
Chief Davis presented the first quarter report to the Durham City Council during their May 7 meeting.
READ MORE: See Chief Davis' presentation here (.pdf)