TRENTON — Crime in Cape May County was up 3 percent last year over 2006 compared to a 4 percent drop in crime statewide, according to a recently released report.
New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram Sept. 22 released the 2007 Uniform Crime Report, which also showed a 5 percent increase in violent crime in this county, while the state saw a 7 percent decrease.
It was the sixth year in a row that the state’s overall crime rate had dropped, a press release stated.
“The drop in the overall crime index and the decrease in the incidents of violent and non-violent crime are encouraging, but we cannot be satisfied until all residents of New Jersey feel safe in their neighborhoods,’’ Milgram said.
“Innovative law enforcement strategies, tougher penalties for illegal gun possession, and new prevention and prisoner re-entry programs – all parts of Governor Corzine’s strategy for safe streets and neighborhoods – will make an even greater difference in combating violent crime and the street gangs that traffic in guns and drugs.’’
Overall, there were 5,204 index crime offences reported in this county last year compared to 5,043 in 2006. Only two other counties (Hunterdon, Passaic) saw crime rate bumps.
The same trend was seen in non-violent crimes with Cape May County showing a 3 percent jump and the state showing a 4 percent drop.
The seven indexed crimes and this county’s 2007 totals were: murder, 1; rape, 23; robbery, 105; aggravated assault, 221; burglary, 945; larceny-theft, 3,779; and motor vehicle theft, 130.
In this county, rape increased 28 percent and robbery increased 33 percent.
Nearly $5.4 million worth of property was reported stolen and nearly $1.15 million or 21.3 percent was recovered.
“Nobody likes to see an increase in crime, especially violent crime,” said Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Taylor. “Hopefully the additional investigators we’re in the process of hiring will have a positive impact on the crime rate.”
According to the report, Cape May County had 221 total police employees including 159 prosecutor and sheriffs officers as well as 62 civilians. There are also 439 total municipal police employees – 341 officers and 98 civilians.
This county’s overall crime rate of 53.3 victims per 1,000 inhabitants was, by far, the highest in the state and well above the statewide rate of 25.3. This could be attributed to the county’s increased seasonal population as a tourist destination as its northern seashore neighbor Atlantic County had the next highest crime rate, 41.5.
“During a nice weekend in the summer there are a lot of people, close to a million,” Taylor said. “Unfortunately, the population increase creates a fertile environment for selling drugs and committing crimes.”
Of the 16 municipalities in the Cape May County, Wildwood had the highest crime rate with 146.4 victims per 1,000 residents (86.5 using the mean population) and the most violent crimes, 84, while Ocean City had the most non-violent crimes, 1,153.
The county saw an 8 percent drop in drug arrests from 757 in 2006 to 697 last year, but 2 percent more total arrests from 8,944 to 9,121 over the same period.
Total domestic violence arrests in the county, mostly assaults, jumped from 472 in 2006 to 529 last year, but total arrests involving domestic violence restraining orders fell 16 percent from 69 in 2006 to 58 last year.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
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