The incidence of crime in the Skinker-DeBaliviere area followed an irregular pattern from May to October of this year, with no clear evidence of long-range increase or decrease except in home burglaries.
There were three murders in August and one in October, but none in May, June, July or September. There were no reported rapes during the summer but two in September and one in October. Assaults reached a high of seven in May and have since fluctuated, with five each in September and October.
Residential burglaries reached a high of 33 in September and dipped sharply to 17 in October. Summer totals had fluctuated between 24 and 32.
Thefts of more than $50. reached their peak in May – twelve. There were five each in September and October, which was close to the low for the entire period. Auto thefts were at a high of 15 in July and have since declined steadily – 14 in August, 11 in September, and ten in October.
There were eight business burglaries in October, the high for the six-month period. The low was two in August. Other categories of robbery and burglary showed no consistent pattern.
During the summer months, the latest period for which figures are available, the Skinker-DeBaliviere area accounted for only a small minority of the crimes committed in the Seventh Police District – 14 per cent of the murders, 20 per cent of thefts over $50 – 10 per cent of residential burglaries, less than one per cent of rapes, assaults, and auto thefts.
During the same summer period the number of crimes in most categories decreased in the Seventh District over the same period in 1971, and the total number of crimes decreased by nine per cent.
Originally published in The Paper, December 1972.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1972_12.pdf, printed page(s) 4.
