Crime Down In Baltimore County In 2012

Baltimore County was a little safer in 2012, according to crime statistics released Wednesday by the Baltimore County Police Department.

Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson Wednesday said all crime in Baltimore County decreased 6.7 percent compared to the previous five year average. Violent crime including homicides decreased by 11.1 percent in the same period.

"These are some of the best numbers I've seen in my career," Johnson said.

"You have to go back 30 years to find crime numbers this low," Johnson said.

[Crime statistics released by the Baltimore County Police Department are attached to this article.]

Last year, the county recorded 23 homicides. Over the last five years the county average is 29 homicides. There were 30 in 2011.

Overall, crime in Baltimore County in 2012 showed improvement compared to 2011 but the decreases were less dramatic.

Violent crime in the county in 2012 decreased by nearly 2.5 percent compared to 2011. Burglary, theft, and arson decreased by nearly 1.9 percent during the same period. Over all, crime in 2012 compared to 2011 decreased by about seven-tenths of a percent, according to statistics released by the county.

Johnson said the five year comparisons are more representative of overall crime trends in the county.

Crime decreased in nine of the county's 10 police precincts. Towson, however, showed increases in violent and property crimes.

The most serious categories of crimes increased by 11.3 percent over last year. Crime overall in the Towson precinct increased by 9.2 percent.

Johnson said the increases were mostly the result of thefts from vehicles in the Towson area and shoplifting, particularly at the Towson Town Center.

"A lot of this is people not locking their cars or not taking valuables out of their cars," he said. "Citizens can really help out a lot here."

County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said he will add three more police officers to patrol what he called the "Downtown Towson Entertainment District" which includes the Towson Town Center and restaurants and shops along the York Road corridor. Those additional officers will be added to cover evening hours five nights a week on and during other times when additional coverage is warranted.

Despite the overall decreases, crime increased in some categories:

• There were 145 reported cases of rape in the county, up by one over the five-year average. There were 142 reported cases of rape in 2011.
• There were 19 reported attempted rape cases, up by four over the five year average and nine compared to 2011. The number of attempted rapes in 2012 equaled that of 2009. There were 21 reported attempted rapes in 2008.
• There were 82 convenience store robberies compared to the five-year average of 76. In 2011, there were 85 convenience store robberies.
• There were 1,289 robberies with a dangerous weapon other than a knife or gun compared to the five-year average of 1,262 and 1,200 incidents in 2011.
• There were 439 residential burglaries at night compared to the five-year average of 420. There were 386 incidents reported in 2011.
• There were 1,630 burglaries of residential properties where the time of the crime was not known compared to the five-year average of 1,211. There were 1,263 such crimes in 2011.
• Pocket picking and shoplifting both showed increases above the five-year average and 2011.
• There were 18 reported arson cases involving barns, sheds and garages an increase of six cases compared to the five-year average. There were seven such cases reported in 2011.