REPORT: Homicides Down 22%, All Crime Down 10%

INQUIRER: Philadelphia saw across-the-board decreases in major crimes over the last two years, authorities announced yesterday, including a 22 percent drop in homicides. Overall crime is down 10 percent from 2007, the year before Police Commissioner Ramsey took over. Violent crime is down 10.8 percent from 2007; property crime, 9.7 percent. Many major crimes decreased from 2007 to 2008, though there were spikes in burglaries and rapes. In 2009, the numbers of all major crimes fell below 2007 levels, authorities said yesterday. The city had 305 homicides last year, down from 333 in 2008 and 392 in 2007. Robberies were down 12 percent from 2007, aggravated assaults 9.6 percent, and rapes 6 percent. Auto theft had the most significant shift, dropping 37.2 percent since 2007, authorities said. MORE