Gaithersburg Police Release First Quarter 2012 Crime Analysis Report
Posted 6/1/2012

The Gaithersburg Police Department has released its crime analysis report for the first quarter of calendar year 2012.  There has been a 10.7% increase in crime within the City of Gaithersburg for the first quarter of 2012, as compared to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) statistics for the first quarter of 2011.  Rape decreased by 50% from 4 to 2, Robbery increased 109.1% from 11 to 23, and Aggravated Assault increased 54.5% from 11 to 17.  There were no homicides in 2011 and 2012 during the respective 1st quarter periods.  A summation of the individual crimes against persons reflects a total of 42 in the first quarter of 2012 or .46 crimes against persons per day.

An analysis of the property crimes revealed an increase of 44.7% for Burglary (from 38 to 55), an increase of 5.2% for Larceny (from 310 to 326), and a decrease in Auto Theft of 52.9% (from 17 to 8).  There were a total of 389 property crimes or 4.3 property crimes per day.

Since the number of incidences of crimes against persons (Rape, Robbery and Aggravated Assault) is so small, the percentage increases and decreases may be misleading.  A better indicator of the amount of crime and trends is to look at the individual number of crimes for a particular type of crime. 

• Overall, Total Crime (Part I and Part II totals) increased by 10.7% 

An analysis of Part I Offense data shows that there was an increase this quarter (as compared to the same quarter in 2011) in robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries and larcenies. There was a decrease in rapes and auto thefts

An analysis of the data between the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 shows an overall decrease in crime of 5.0%.  Part I Offenses decreased by 5.5% (from 456 to 431), and Part II Offenses decreased by 4.8% (from 905 to 862).

Part II Crimes are defined as minor assaults, arson, forgery-counterfeiting, bad checks, embezzlement, stolen property, vandalism, weapons offenses, prostitution, sex offenses, controlled dangerous substance (CDS) violations, gambling, family offenses, juvenile offenses, liquor law violations, disorderly conduct, suicide, and non-traffic offenses.

"The Department does a daily analysis of where and when crime is occurring in the City of Gaithersburg.  We will target those areas having the highest incidence of criminal activity with additional resources.  By working together with our citizens, there is every reason to believe that we can make Gaithersburg even safer said,” Gaithersburg Police Chief Mark P. Sroka.  For more information please visit the Gaithersburg Police Department online at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/police or call 301-258-6400.