The number of crimes committed during 2012 in Danville dropped in five of the eight major categories — murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft.
Danville Police Chief Philip Broadfoot presented the crime statistics on Thursday at the meeting of a Coalition for a Safe Danville. The numbers are preliminary. The official statistics will be reconciled by March, but Broadfoot said it is good news so far.
“The highlight for last year was the fact we only had three reported homicides,” Broadfoot said.
Danville has not seen homicide numbers that low since 1990, Broadfoot said.
Overall, the number of reported offenses in the eight major categories fell from 2,207 in 2011 to 2,172 in 2012.
Larcenies went up from 1,474 in 2011 to 1,515 in 2012; arson went up from nine in 2011 to 16 in 2012; and rapes went up from 36 in 2011 to 55 in 2012.