Crime down in Royal Oak

The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program has released the crime numbers for 2009. Compared to 2008, Royal Oak was slightly safer in 2009 and the population of the city decreased by about 300 from 57,098 to 56,800. According to the FBI's numbers, the population has decreased slightly every year since 2005.

Violent crimes decreased from 113 to 99 and property crimes decreased from 1,144 to 909. This is down from a five-year high of 175 violent crimes in 2007 and 1421 property crimes in 2005. Only one murder has been reported in the city in the last five years, in 2005. Robberies dropped by half, from 34 to 17 in 2009. Aggravated assaults were about the same; 59 in 2008 and 58 in 2009.

As for property crimes, larceny/theft made up most of the 909 property crimes with 651 larceny/theft f crimes being reported in 2009. That represents a decrease of 146 compared to 2008. Burglaries were down from 217 to 162. Motor vehicle thefts were down to 96 from 130. Lastly, arsons decreased by over two-thirds going from 19 in 2008 to just 6 in 2009.

Sources:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100913/SPECIAL01/100913001?appSession=844260619722553