By Dawn Krebs
dkrebs@hometownnewsol.com
ST. LUCIE COUNTY - According to a recent report, the first six months of 2012 showed a decrease in serious crime from the same period of time in 2011.
"We are hopeful that crime for the entire 2012 year will also drop," said Sheriff Ken Mascara of the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.
The report showed robberies dropped 29 percent, from 21 to 15 and burglaries were down 14 percent, from 287 to 247.
The report came from crime statistics compiled by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office. The statistics are compiled under the guidelines issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and administered in state by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Once the statistics are compiled, they are sent to the FDLE, where they are verified and publishes them.
Also, motor vehicle thefts dropped from 49 to 38, a decrease of 22 percent.
Overall, crime showed a decrease of 7 percent, from 1,030 incidents to 961 incidents. The incidents include the above crimes and also include murder, sexual offenses, battery and theft.
There were some increases, however. Sexual offenses showed an increase of 37 percent, from 19 to 26 incidents and battery went up 2 percent, from 91 to 93 incidents.
"These were crimes of opportunity," Sheriff Mascara said.
In general, serious crime investigated by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office peaked back in the late 1930s.
In 2011, the total number of investigated crimes totaled 2,188, the same as in 1999.