Detroit Police Reports Reveal Fewer Violent Crimes in 2014, but Problems Persist
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| According to data from the Detroit Police, the number of violent crimes in that city fell significantly in 2014.
Most notably, homicides are likely at their lowest since 1967. In 2014, there were 300 murders in Detroit; that represents the lowest number since 2010, when there were 308. Before that, Detroit saw 281 homicides in 1967, which was the year of the summer riots. However, the homicide rate was far lower based on the city’s 1.5 million residents; today, the population has decreased by more than half to about 688,000 residents. The homicide rate per 100,000 residents has declined in recent years, however, from 55 per 100,000 residents in 2012 and 47.5 in 2013 to a rate of 42.9 in 2014. Robberies also saw a significant decrease since 2013, dropping from 2,836 to 1,879 as of Dec. 22, when the crime statistics were released. Many of these robberies involve credit card thefts, with Visa cards, which account for 52% of all payment volume worldwide, likely representing the top card stolen. Carjackings fell from 765 to 525 in the past year, representing a 32% decline as a subset of the robbery category. Yet despite the sharp declines in many types of violent crime, Detroit is still one of the most violent cities in the United States, according to FBI statistics from November. One recent case highlights the problems that Detroit residents face on a daily basis as police and U.S. Marshals search for a “person of interest” in a death now being ruled as a homicide. Eighty-one-year-old Casey Wybenga, a restaurant owner who helps feed the needy in the Heartside district, was found dead at an America’s Best Inn motel in Walker on Tuesday, Dec. 30. The death was ruled natural at first, then suspicious after evidence arose that placed Matthew Brunn, 29, at the scene. According to family members, Brunn, a parole absconder, was spotted driving Wybenga’s Ford station wagon/SUV the day before Wybenga’s body was discovered. Wybenga’s credit card had also been used after his death. Brunn has had a history of criminal behavior, such as armed robbery and vehicle theft, since 2004. Police are currently seeking tips as to his whereabouts. |
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