Crime Down By About 6 Percent in Ocean City in 2014

Crime in Ocean City is down 6.3 percent through the first six months of 2014, but it’s up 19 percent for the month of June.

The total number of reported crimes between January and June of this year is 209, compared to 223 for the same period in 2013, according to the New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Report.

Violent crime is down 22.2 percent, from nine incidents down to seven. Non-violent crime declined 9.2 percent.

While no homicides or rapes have been reported in the City so far this year, assaults with dangerous weapons are up. There was one report of an assault using a gun, three reports of assaults using a “knife or other cutting instrument” and one report of an assault using another dangerous weapon.

No incidents involving guns were reported last year, while one incident involving a knife and two involving another dangerous weapon were reported.

However, the biggest increase came in the area of simple assaults, where 34 incidents were reported this year, compared to 29 last year for an increase of 17.2 percent. Specifically, there was an 80 percent increase in the month of June, where nine incidents were reported, compared to five last year.

Burglaries are down by 33.3 percent, declining from 51 last year to 34 this year. In June, that decline is magnified to 36.4 percent.

Larceny theft is about the same, with 131 incidents reported this year and 132 reported in 2013.

There were also three motor vehicle thefts this year, compared to two last year.