Crime continues to fall in Montgomery

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Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 27, 2009; 4:18 PM

Crime in Montgomery County fell during the first half of 2009, continuing a trend that began late last year, according to police statistics released Tuesday.

In the first six months of the year, "Part I" crime, which includes murders, robberies and burglaries, fell by 7.4 percent. When less-serious crimes are added to the mix, such as minor assaults and vandalism, total crime dropped by 5 percent, police said.

The drop was led by a significant reduction in automobile thefts. There were 749 such crimes reported in the first six months of 2009, compared with 1,204 in the first six months of 2008.

"Our auto theft detectives have focused on investigating repeat offenders. . . . That has paid off," Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said in a statement.

Montgomery recorded five homicides in the first part of 2009 compared with 10 for the same period a year earlier, police said.



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