O`ahu crime up in 2002

The Honolulu crime rate jumped by more than 16 percent last year, with increases reported in seven of eight categories tracked by the FBI. According to preliminary data from the agency’s Uniform Crime Report, released today, murder on O`ahu is down, but motor vehicle theft saw an increase of more than 50 percent over 2001. Nationally, crime levels decreased over the same period.

FBI Uniform Crime Report for Honolulu Category 2001 2002 Change Larceny Theft 33,052 37,250 12.7% Burglary 7,340 8,932 21.6% Motor Vehicle Theft 5,597 8,488 51.6% Agravated Assault 1,141 1,207 5.7% Robbery 999 1,072 7.3% Forcible Rape 293 304 3.7% Arson 396 429 8.3% Murder 20 18 -10% Adj. Crime Index 48,838 57,700 16.7%

The FBI’s Crime Index is calculated by combining statistics for four violent crimes (murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault) and three property crimes (burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft). Arson is included in the adjusted Crime Index.

Honolulu, tracked separately along with other U.S. cities with populations greater than 100,000, saw bigger numbers last year than in 2001 in all property crime categories, and three of the four violent crime categories. The city’s Modified Crime Rate last year was 16.7 percent higher than in 2001, with a total of 57,700 crimes reported to the FBI.

There were 8,488 car thefts reported on O`ahu in 2002, compared to 5,597 the year before. Burglary is up 21.6 percent, and larceny theft is up 12.7 percent. Among violent crimes, robbery saw the biggest increase: 7.3 percent.

This in contrast with a decrease in the national crime rate — a 1.4 percent decrease in violent crimes, and no change in the number of property crimes.

But Honolulu’s numbers seem to echo those of western U.S. cities. Trends reported by geographic region show the West reporting a 2.8 percent increase in crime overall, comprised of a 3.4 percent increase in property crimes but a 0.6 percent decrease in violent crimes. Violent crimes in the rest of the nation saw decreases or negible change in property crime, and decreases across the board in violent crime.

Nationally, violent crime decreased 1.4 percent overall, despite increases in murder and forcible rape of 0.8 percent and 4.0 percent, respectively. Overall property crime total remained the same when compared to the 2001 total, with larceny theft the lone property crime showing a decrease.