Crime watch

The Chico Police Department has released its annual crime statistics, showing an 11 percent drop in overall crimes in 2009 when compared to 2008. This is mostly due to a decrease in property crimes, which make up the majority of offenses in the city each year.

In 2009, there were 1,372 larcenies, 704 burglaries and 314 auto thefts, as opposed to 1,585 larcenies, 862 burglaries and 285 auto thefts the year before. Crimes against people, however, mostly rose. There were three homicides, 37 rapes and 128 robberies in 2009, more than the two murders, 27 rapes and 101 robberies the year before. Assaults were down from 226 in 2008 to 199 in 2009.

Once again, the majority of crimes—especially those against people and those related to alcohol—occurred in or around the South Campus area.