Crime in the county has fallen but is still above pre-pandemic levels

Overall crime in Montgomery County is down, according to recent statistics presented to the County Council on Monday.

Nationwide, crime fell by three percent last year. There was a spike in criminal activity in the country during and shortly after COVID, but it decreased in the following years.

However, the county did not see the same results. While there was a significant decline in sexual offenses and crime, homicides increased by over 30% from 2022, while other violent crimes also increased.

But there has been a turnaround this year, according to legislative analyst Susan Farag and the county police department.

“After three years of increasing crime, the county is now seeing significant declines in most types of crime,” Farag said.

Data so far this year has shown that violent crimes such as homicides and rapes have declined overall by about 46% and 13%, respectively. In addition, commercial robberies, fraud and theft have also decreased.

The number of car thefts has also fallen by over 40% compared to 2023. There was a dramatic increase in car thefts last year. This was partly due to viral social media trends exploiting security vulnerabilities in Hyundai and Kia cars.

However, there are some increases. Commercial burglaries, shoplifting, non-commercial robberies and intimidation have increased compared to last year.

Additionally, Farag explained that crime is still increasing compared to pre-pandemic levels despite “significant reductions in crime.”

Various factors have contributed to the decline in crime in the county. County Deputy Police Chief Darren Francke acknowledged the intensive policing efforts and policy changes. He also pointed to improving communication with residents and communities.

“We had a great story about disrupting gold bullion scams…And through our communications efforts, people are now more aware of it, which is exactly what we were looking for to prevent future victims,” Francke said.

County police also plan to work with first responders and MoCoConnect to “prosecute crimes holistically.”

“Firstly, we want to convey the message: crime will not be tolerated in the district, and secondly: we will use all resources to disrupt you. Don’t bring it here,” Francke said.