Homicides, other crimes decline in Baltimore

Nine months into the year, crime in Baltimore has fallen in nearly every category.

Homicides are down 15 percent. There were 215 people killed in the city as of Sept. 22, compared to 254 at the same point last year, according to the latest city data. At least seven more people have been killed in subsequent shootings in the city in the past week.

Other crimes that have seen double-digit percentage declines include rape (down 13 percent), burglary (26 percent), vehicle theft (12 percent) and arson (57 percent).

There also have been fewer robberies, with 3,650 reported so far this year, compared to 4,403 at this point last year, a decrease of 17 percent. Those include carjackings (down 22 percent), commercial robberies (down 26 percent), residential robberies (down 16 percent) and street robberies (down 17 percent).

However, people are robbing banks and gas stations more often, according to the data.

There have been 34 bank robberies so far this year, a nearly 90 percent increase over the 18 that were reported at this time last year. Eight of the bank robberies have taken place in the central district, which includes downtown. There also have been eight bank robberies in the northeast district and seven in the southeast district. Gas station robberies are up 21 percent.

As overall violent crime has fallen 13 percent, total arrests have dropped 12 percent. There have been 16,079 arrests so far this year, compared with 18,325 arrests at this time last year.