L.A. crime decreases for 10th straight year [Google+ hangout]
Times crime reporters Richard Winton and Andrew Blankstein will join city editor Shelby Grad at 2:30 p.m. in a Google+ hangout to discuss decreasing Los Angeles crime rates.
For the 10th year in a row, Los Angeles crime dropped in 2012 with major decreases in gang crime, city leaders announced Monday.
Homicides increased for the first time, but by just one, to 298.
Crime L.A.: Mapping crime in L.A. cities and neighborhoods
The overall decline in crime was smaller than in previous years because of jumps in lower-level crimes, such as personal thefts. Cellphone thefts jumped 30%, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said.
The figures released Monday:
Homicides: 298 in 2012, up from 297 in 2011
Rape: 773, up 4.9% from 737,
Robbery: 8,953, down 11% from 10,057
Aggravated assault: 8,769, down 6.3% from 8,829
Burglary: 16,135, down 6.4% from 17,231
Grand theft: 14,780, down 3.2% from 15,269
Burglary theft from a vehicle: 26,183, up 2.2% from 25,616
Theft: 28,767, up 4.3% from 27,590
Violent crime: 18,293, down 8.2% from 19,920
Property crime: 85,666, up 0.2% from 85,706
Overall crime: 104,159,down 1.4% from 105,626
Shooting victims: 1,187, down 9.1% from 1,306
ALSO:
California gets F grade from education advocacy group
Autopsy results awaited for 19-year-old found dead after concert
2 former Cudahy officials to be sentenced in $17,000 bribery case