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 1 in 12 people is likely to be a victim of a crime. The number of murders, rapes and theft also increased.
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.
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.
