Los Angeles has seen a 7.8-percent drop of violent crimes since January this year, compared with the same period last year, according to official statistics released on Friday.
Los Angeles is on track to have fewer than 400 murders this year for the first time since 1970, police Chief William Bratton said.
Since Jan. 1, there have been 280 homicides in the city, 56 fewer than at this time last year.
"As we enter the last four months of the year, Los Angeles stands a very good chance at the end of the year of having the lowest number of homicides since 1970 -- that's 37 years. This year we may end up with a total of about 400, down significantly from the over 600 that were occurring when I was appointed five years ago," Bratton said.
Compared to this time last year, the number of rapes is down 12.6 percent; robbery is down 6.4 percent; aggravated assaults are down 8.7 percent; burglary is down 2.1 percent; personal theft is down 6.8 percent; and car thefts are down 4.1 percent.
But despite those decreases, more Angelenos are having property stolen from their cars. Thefts from cars is up 1.8 percent, or 362 more incidents than at this time last year.
"People leaving computers, wallets, expensive sunglasses, you name it, in plain view in vehicles, often times unlocked," Bratton said. "Why do you want to leave a laptop computer worth 1,500 dollars, with oftentimes all of your personal history, on the front seat of a car? It defies imagination."
Source: Xinhua
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