CRIME REPORTED IN CAMBRIDGE
January 1 to June 30
| Crime | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | Change 00-01 |
|
Murder |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
N.C. |
|
Rape |
11 |
7 |
5 |
8 |
+60% |
|
Stranger |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
N.C. |
|
Non-Stranger |
11 |
5 |
4 |
7 |
+75% |
|
Robbery |
102 |
83 |
84 |
66 |
-21% |
|
Commercial |
11 |
8 |
11 |
14 |
+27% |
|
Street |
91 |
75 |
73 |
52 |
-29% |
|
Agg. Assault |
178 |
164 |
143 |
166 |
+16% |
|
Burglary |
320 |
250 |
231 |
252 |
+9% |
|
Commercial |
114 |
88 |
74 |
57 |
-23% |
|
Residential |
206 |
162 |
157 |
195 |
+24% |
|
Larceny |
1260 |
1297 |
1331 |
1364 |
+2% |
|
Building |
300 |
314 |
306 |
266 |
-13% |
|
Fm. Motor Vehicle |
275 |
327 |
298 |
375 |
+26% |
|
Person |
152 |
135 |
162 |
209 |
+29% |
|
Bicycle |
99 |
108 |
127 |
93 |
-27% |
|
Shoplifting |
227 |
195 |
201 |
252 |
+25% |
|
Residence |
103 |
103 |
105 |
89 |
-15% |
|
MV Plate |
73 |
70 |
86 |
46 |
-47% |
|
Services |
14 |
12 |
7 |
18 |
+157% |
|
Misc. |
17 |
33 |
39 |
16 |
-59% |
|
Auto Theft |
199 |
189 |
231 |
243 |
+5% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Violent |
291 |
254 |
233 |
241 |
+3% |
|
Total Prop. |
1779 |
1736 |
1793 |
1859 |
+4% |
|
Index Total |
2070 |
1990 |
2026 |
2 100 |
+4% |
First Six Months in Review
In the wake of 30-year lows reported throughout 1999 and 2000, recent levels of increase appear strikingly insignificant. As crime’s steep plunge begins to level itself off in 2001, increases as small as 3 or 4% are inevitable. A single rape, for instance, drives the stranger rape total from 0% up to 100%.
A relatively calm April and May helped to blunt, or even reverse, many of the increases that accumulated throughout the first quarter of the year. Robbery, down only 17% at the end of March, is now down 21%. Larceny, up 12% at the end of the first quarter, now exhibits a mere increase of 2%.
As we predicted back in the 1999 Annual Crime Report, the larcenies are on the rise, likely brought about by the exploding demand for five target items: laptop computers, cellular telephones, compact disks, bicycles, and construction equipment and tools. Each item likely has a separate market for illegal resale that keeps demand high.
Looking ahead: July may be the make-or-break month. Larcenies from motor vehicles will likely peak in July and August, as they did in 1999. Housebreaks and commercial breaks will likely peak in summer months as well. A rise in crime among homeless persons has begun to emerge as the summer of 2001 continues to unfold.
As for street robberies, increased nighttime activity in Cambridgeport & Inman Square bodes ill for this crime, although nothing can be confidently forecasted.
With the violent, property, and total index crime changes all in the single digits, total crime for the year 2001 could go either way—it all depends on the next six months. We’ll have another update at the end of September.