LIMA — The number of murders in Lima was up fourfold in 2016 compared to one year earlier, but violent crime as a whole was down slightly in the city, according to statistics included in the FBI’s annual “Crime in the United States” report for 2016 that was released Monday.
A spokesman for the Lima Police Department questioned the FBI’s figures, however, saying that the local department’s numbers show that “crimes of violence” in the city rose 16 percent in 2016 over the previous year.
The FBI report showed 356 violent crimes took place in Lima during 2016, up from 347 the previous year. Murder/manslaughter cases were up from two in 2015 to eight last year, while the number of rape cases increased by four, from 44 to 48, during that same time.
According to information contained in the report, the number of robberies in Lima was up substantially last year, from 83 in 2015 to 123 in 2016, but the number of aggravated assault cases fell from 214 in 2015 to 181 last year.
The number of property crimes were up — 2,259 in 2016 compared to 2,166 one year earlier — while the number of burglaries was nearly identical; 602 last year and 603 in 2015. Arson cases (22), motor vehicle thefts (117) and larceny/theft incidents (1,540) in the city were all up in 2016 from the previous year.
Major Patrick Coon of the Lima Police Department offered slightly different figures for several categories of crime than were cited in the FBI report. Coon said the way the FBI categorizes some crimes could be a reason for the variations.
Coon said the city saw 317 “offenses of violence” in 2016, up from 273 one year earlier. Aggravated assaults by Coon’s count were up by 10 — from 136 in 2016 to 146 last year. Most other numbers Coon offered were closer to those provided in the FBI report.
Lima Police Chief Kevin Martin said violent crime as it pertains to the FBI report includes murder, manslaughter, rape, armed robbery and aggravated assault.
The numbers contained in the latest FBI report came as no surprise to local law enforcement officials given that the department furnishes the statistics in the first place.
“But regardless of the numbers, we continually look at where crimes are being committed and we allocate resources to those areas with the goal of preventing crime from happening in the first place,” Martin said.
Nationally
The estimated number of violent crimes in the nation increased for the second straight year, rising 4.1 percent in 2016 when compared with 2015 data, according to FBI figures released Monday. Property crimes dropped 1.3 percent, marking the 14th consecutive year the collective estimates for these offenses declined.
According to the report there were an estimated 1.2 million violent crimes committed nationwide in 2016. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter offenses increased 8.6 percent when compared with estimates from 2015. Aggravated assault and rape offenses increased 5.1 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively, and robbery increased 1.2 percent.
The estimated number of violent crimes in the nation increased for the second straight year, rising 4.1 percent in 2016 when compared with 2015 data, according to FBI figures released Monday. Property crimes dropped 1.3 percent, marking the 14th consecutive year the collective estimates for these offenses declined.
Nationally there were an estimated 7.9 million property crimes, according to Monday’s report. Burglaries dropped 4.6 percent, larceny-thefts declined 1.5 percent, but motor vehicle thefts rose 7.4 percent. Collectively, victims of property crimes (excluding arson) suffered losses estimated at $15.6 billion in 2016.
The annual nationwide publication is a statistical compilation of offense, arrest and police employee data reported by law enforcement agencies voluntarily participating in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
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