Violent Crime Rises; Other Crimes Drop

While most types of crime dropped slightly in Spokane through June this year compared with the same period in 1994, violent crime went up, police said Monday.

Four of the seven major crime categories showed a drop, including assault, burglaries, thefts and car thefts. Overall, there have been 7,890 major crime cases reported to police this year, compared with 8,597 in the first six months of 1994 - an 8 percent decline.

However, homicide was up from three murders to six, rapes increased from 49 to 64 and robberies jumped from 206 to 228.

The statistics, compiled by the FBI, show a “mixed report card” for Spokane, police Chief Terry Mangan said.

“It seems like we’re in a fairly stable environment with property crimes, but in a growth industry with violent crimes,” Mangan said.

Of the burglaries investigated in June of this year, 143 involved entering a home or apartment through an open or unlocked door or window. Burglars forced their way into 114 homes during the same month.

More than half of all burglaries in Spokane can be prevented if residents keep their doors and windows locked, police said.

Residents, though, don’t always remember. Over Memorial Day weekend, more than 40 Spokane homes were burglarized while residents were on vacation. Police said many victims of that holiday crime spree hadn’t latched basement windows. A few residents left town without locking their back doors.

The FBI report, released Monday, does not include garage burglaries.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Spokane crime rate