GREENVILLE — So far in 2011, crime in the City of Greenville is at its lowest level in at least seven years.
“Overall we are down almost 7.5 percent,” said Police Chief Daniel J. Busken of the crimes recorded locally between January and June and included in the department’s Universal Crime Report (UCR).
There were 935 “Part One” crimes — homicides, forcible rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts and automobile thefts — recorded in Greenville during the first six months of the year, representing a decrease of 7.42 percent from the 1,010 offenses reported through June 2010.
There were a total of 952 criminal offenses recorded through the end of the first six months of 2009, 1,179 offenses reported through June 2008 and 1,141 crimes through the same point in 2007.
Significant reductions were seen in many of the categories, although the statistics for property crimes were mixed.
There were 36 business burglaries through June, up 63.63 percent from the 22 offenses reported at local businesses through June one year ago.
There were 96 residential burglaries during the first six months of 2011, three more than during the same point in 2010. Overall, burglaries increased almost 15 percent during the past 12 months.
There were 20 automobile thefts reported through June, down 35.48 percent from the 31 recorded through the same point last year. Overall thefts decreased almost 16 percent between June 2010 and the end of last month.
Overall, property crimes were down 10.9 percent during the first six month of this year.
There were 55 aggravated assaults, where a weapon was used, recorded during the first six months of the year. While high, the number was down 28.57 percent from the 77 offenses reported through the same period in 2010.
Overall, assaults are down 3.36 percent from year to year.
“We’re still having too many family violence assaults,” Busken said.
There was one murder reported locally during the first six months of 2011, compared to none through the same point in 2010. There was one more rape, and one more robbery, in Greenville when comparing year to year.
Overall, crimes against persons decreased 2.41 percent during the past 12 months.
