SF crime drops five percent in 2014

Crime rates in San Francisco decreased in 2014 compared to the previous year, police announced Friday.

Overall, violent crime decreased by 4.52 percent and property crime decreased by 5.27 percent, according to the San Francisco Police Department. There were 3,267 robberies reported in 2014, 935 fewer than 2013, representing a 22 percent reduction. There were 45 homicides, down from 48 in 2013, representing a 6.25 percent reduction, according to police.

The number of burglaries reported in the city dropped by 640 to 5,291, representing a reduction of more than 10 percent. There were 34,284 cases of larceny and theft reported in 2014, which represents a 6 percent drop from 2013.

There were, however, some categories of crime that increased in 2014. The number of aggravated assault cases increased by more than 17 percent. Auto theft cases were up by roughly 5 percent, and arson cases increased by roughly 6 percent.

There were 463 firearms arrests in 2014, up from 413 the previous year, representing a 12 percent increase. There was also an 11.76 percent decrease in the number of homicides by firearm, down from 34 to 30.

The total number of fatal and non-fatal shooting victims remained relatively stagnant, however. In 2013 there were 195 shooting victims, and in 2014 there were 194, representing a 0.5 percent decrease.

The number of reported rapes increased in 2014, but police said that’s due in part to an expanded definition of the term, and that 2014 data on reported rape cases cannot be compared to previous years. San Francisco police said they’re focusing their resources on violent crime, homicides and gun violence.