Slight jump in crime in 2010

AURORA | After eight consecutive years that saw crime fall in Colorado’s third-largest city, crime in Aurora rose slightly in 2010.

The uptick — a total of 0.6 percent — represented an additional 76 crimes compared to 2009, police said, and was driven largely by increases in property crimes like burglary and larceny.  

Violent crime was down 4.3 percent, despite one more murder in 2010than in 2009 and 10 more aggravated assaults. 

Car accidents fell 1.5 percent in 2010, including a 40 percent drop in fatal accidents.

“I am heartened by the further reductions in violent crime in 2010 and by the lives saved through better traffic safety and enforcement,” Police Chief Dan Oates, . “We faced challenges in the area of property crime in 2010, perhaps because of the tough economy. The men and women of the Aurora Police Department and all our many partners in city government and in the community deserve praise for their hard work in addressing crime in 2010.”

The numbers released Friday were only preliminary, police said, and could change slightly when final figures are released next month.

According to the numbers:

 • Murder was up 4.3 percent, climbing from 23 in 2009 to 24 last year. That number of murders was the highest since 2005 when the city had 28 murders.

• Forcible rape was down 15.1 percent, from 218 in 2009 to 185 last year. 

• Robbery was down 8 percent, with 507 in 2010 compared to 551 in 2009.

• Aggravated assaults were up 1.3 percent, from 747 in 2009 to 757 last year. 

• Burglary was up 11.3 percent, from 2,073 — a five-year low — to 2,307 in 2010.

• Larceny was up 2.5 percent, from 6,945 to 7,122. The 2009 larceny total was also a five-year low.

• Vehicle theft was down 22.4 percent, from 1,202 to 933. 

• Violent crimes, which include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, were down 4.3 percent last year .

• Property crimes, which include burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft, were up 1.4 percent last year and.

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