Newark crime down in 2013

(File/NewsWorks)

(File/NewsWorks)

Newark Police credit aggressive patrols for an 11 percent drop in crimes in the college town.

Police say the city saw a steady decrease in crime last year compared to 2012. Robberies were down 35 percent, aggravated assaults were down five percent and burglaries were down 35 percent.

Chief Paul Tiernan says the aggressive patrols and the creation of the Special Operations Unit helped police reduce crime in Newark. The SOU was established to identify and address quality of life issues in chronic problem areas.

“I am encouraged by the continuing downward trend of violent crime, particularly robberies, in the city of Newark,” Tiernan said. “As we enter 2014, the Newark Police Department remains committed to preventing violent crime and protecting our citizens from those who attempt to prey on the community.”

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Newark Police investigated more than 1,000 crimes in 2013, down from a total of 1,156 investigations in 2012. The total number of investigations is down nearly 35 percent since 2006 when police handled 1,575 investigations.

The majority of those investigations in every year since 2006 involved theft cases. The number of theft investigations was down slightly in 2013 to 763 compared to 790 in 2012. Theft cases were down 78 percent compared to the 2006 number of 979.

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