Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate in Carroll County Lowest Since 1999

While violent crime has decreased significantly, property crime only decreased slightly.

Violent crime decreased significantly, while property crime decreased slightly in Carroll County, according to a national crime statistics report released Wednesday.

Carroll County experienced a significant 11.2 percent reduction in violent crime, making it the lowest rate in the county since 1999, according to the report compiled by the Maryland State Police and submitted to the FBI.

In addition, during 2010, Carroll County experienced a 1.8 percent reduction in total crime and only a 0.4 percent reduction in property crime when compared to 2009.

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Major Phil Kasten, spokesman for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, said that property crime remains an issue in the county, with two-thirds of all crime in Carroll County continuing to be the theft of valuables taken out of unlocked cars, homes garages and sheds.

“Together with residents we can reduce the opportunity for criminals to victimize our residents,” said Kasten. “By locking up our cars, homes, garages and sheds we’re moving and securing our valuables in sight.”

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Statewide, total crime in Maryland was down 5.1 percent, the lowest rate since modern crime tracking in 1975.

Currently both the violent crime and property crime rates are the lowest ever on record in Maryland, according to the report. Since 2006, total crime in Maryland has decreased 12 percent and violent crime has decreased 17 percent.   

Additionally, violent crime dropped 3.2 percent in 2010 with 14 fewer people murdered last year in Maryland than the year before.

“Working together with state and local law enforcement, with our partners and neighbors in communities across Maryland, we have helped drive crime down to its lowest level in recorded history,” said Gov. Martin O’Malley in a press release. “As we continue to make our streets safer, we improve the quality of life for our residents and businesses.”

“We remain encouraged in the efforts of all law enforcement in Carroll County our partnerships together continue to make Carroll County one of the safest counties in the state of Maryland for its residents,” said Kasten.

“We ask residents to continue their vigilance and report in suspicious persons or issues and incidents occurring within their communities as well as to continue to remove their valuables from site and lock up their vehicle’s garages, sheds and valuables in their yards.” 


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