San Jose violent crime climbs in 2014

Violent crimes reported in San Jose from January to June increased slightly compared to the same period in 2013 but serious crimes overall declined by 9 percent, according to San Jose police.

The latest Part 1 crime statistics, representing preliminary figures, were released Monday by the San Jose Police Department for uniform crime reporting to the state of California, police Sgt. Heather Randol said.

The FBI will include the city’s figures, including instances and arrests for the seven most serious crimes, for its national Uniform Crime Reporting Program to measure crime throughout the country, according to the FBI’s website.

The statistics showed the number of crimes in San Jose continued to decline since last year, according to the department’s crime figures. Part 1 felony crimes together fell by 10.3 percent during all of 2013 compared to the total for 2012, according to the report.

While homicides in San Jose fell by a dramatic 20.8 percent in the first six months of this year — 19 murders versus 24 last year — rapes spiked by nearly 18 percent, robberies were up about 7 percent and aggravated assaults up nearly a percent, the department reported.

Even with the decline in homicides, total violent crimes rose by 3.8 percent over the period, according to San Jose police. However, all major types of property crime fell, led by a more than 12 percent drop in vehicle thefts, an almost 12 percent decline in larceny and a more than 4 percent fall in burglaries, for a total decline of 10.6 percent.

Part 1 crimes reported from January to June came to 13,682, a decline of 9.1 percent from the 15,051 logged during those months in 2013, according to the department.

For entire year in 2013, violent crimes alone declined by 9.4 percent from levels reached in 2012 and property crime offenses fell by 10.4 percent, according police figures.