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Crime Up In Detroit, Down In Nation

Crime is up in Detroit and a number of suburbs, bucking a national trend showing a decline in violent crime.   The crime rate in the city of Detroit rose two percent, while Warren,  Eastpointe, Livonia and Dearborn Heights showed increases ranging from 23 to 36 percent. 

Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said not all the news is bad. 

"Our murders are down. Our rapes our down by 13  percent; robberies are down 24 percent, and assaults are down by four percent.  So, even though we showed the increase in aggravated assaults last year, you know, when we look at auto theft and burglaries and larcenies...those types of crimes are down," Dwyer said.

Dwyer said the economy is one reason for the uptick in assaults.

"You've got people that are unemployed. You have people are losing their homes through foreclosures. You have people that can't, you know, put food on the table.  People are getting frustrated, they're depressed, there's anxiety running through the family, they're aggravating each other. It just runs the whole gamut," he said.

Metro Detroit communities reporting decreases in violent crime rates were Farmington Hills,  Southfield, Troy,=  and Clinton Township.

(Copyright 2010 WWJ Radio.  All Rights Reserved.)

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