Though crime in Montgomery County rose only 1 percent last year, the number of commercial robberies leaped nearly 43 percent, jumping from 133 in 2004 to 190 in 2005.
There also was an increase in the total number of robberies, including muggings. Incidents of robbery rose more than 31 percent in a county where one in 12 people is likely to be a victim of a crime. The number of murders, rapes and theft also increased.
Taken as a whole, the total number of crimes in the county remained nearly the same because of offsetting drops in other areas. There was an 11.3 percent decrease in the number of aggravated assaults and a 4.6 percent drop in burglaries. Auto theft was down by 3 percent.
The population of the county was also slightly higher. According to county and U.S. census estimates, the number of people in Montgomery County rose by about 8,800, or slightly less than 1 percent.
Police are focusing their efforts on reducing the number of commercial armed robberies.
“In December of 2005, we established a Street Crimes Task Force to address those types of crimes that typically increase during the holiday season,” Chief Thomas Manger said in a statement this week announcing the release of 2005 statistics.
County police and task force members will work with local businesses to help reduce the number of armed robberies in the county’s business centers, police spokesman Derek Baliles said.
Crime by the numbers
» Homicides increased 5.6% from 18 to 19
» Rapes increased 7.1% from 140 to 150
» Robberies increased 31.2% from 789 to 1,035
» Larcenies increased 2.4% from 15,503 to 15,869
» Aggravated assaults decreased 11.3% from 987 to 875
» Burglaries decreased 4.6% from 3,741 to 3,570
» Auto thefts decreased 3% from 2,562 to 2,486
