Reported crimes in Pine Bluff dropped almost 12 percent last month when compared to a year ago, according to figures released by the police department Monday.
The monthly report said there were 413 crimes reported in January, compared to 469 in January 2011, a decrease of 11.94 percent.
The drop in January was the third straight reported by the department after three straight months of increases last year.
Despite those three straight increases, and in fact final statistics for 2011 showed crime increases for seven months out of 12, police reported that total crime for the year dropped 6.82 percent compared to figures recorded in 2010.
For January, department figures showed 21 aggravated assaults reported, compared to 31 for the same period in 2011. There were three rapes or attempted rapes, compared to seven in 2011, six robberies in January compared to 17 in January 2011, and 133 simple assaults, 20 more than a year ago.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
According to the report, one murder was reported, that of Christopher Patillo on Jan. 19. The other death in January, that of Tommy Holcomb Sr., was not listed in the report and is still under investigation.
In terms of crimes against property, reported burglaries showed a significant decline when compared to 2011 figures. According to the report, there were 77 burglaries reported in January, compared to 126 for the same period in 2011, or 49 less.
Reported motor vehicle thefts dropped from 16 in January 2011 to 15 last month, and there 157 thefts reported, two less than in 2011.