FBI report cites fewer homicides

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2003 | 10:56 a.m.

Metro Police investigated six fewer homicides during the first six months of this year compared to the same time period in 2002, according to an FBI report released Monday.

Seventy homicides occurred this year between January and June. Sixty-four occurred between January and June of 2002, the FBI's Uniform Crime Report says.

However, violent crime overall in Metro's jurisdiction has increased. Officers investigated 4,143 violent crimes during that period last year and 4,679 during the same period this year.

Property crimes also jumped from 22,471 in the first six months of 2002 and 27,993 in the first six months of this year.

The United States experienced a 3.1 percent decrease in violent crime and a 0.8-percent reduction in property crime, according to the FBI report.

Cities with populations over 1 million saw a 4.4 percent decrease in violent crime and 0.9 percent decrease in property crime.

In Las Vegas and unincorporated Clark County, the biggest violent crime increase was robbery, with 1,645 occurring between January and June of last year and 2,011 this year.

The largest property crime increase was theft, with 11,650 reported between January and June of 2002 and 14,708 reported during the same period this year.