Aggravated Assaults Up, Other Serious Crimes Down In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Most Part I crimes, or serious crimes against people, are down in the City of Alexandria, the police department announced. A new report indicates Part I crime in Alexandria fell by 13 percent during 2017 compared to the year prior.

Part I crimes as defined by the FBI "are serious crimes, they occur with regularity in all areas of the country, and they are likely to be reported to police." These include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft.

Aggravated assault was the only offense to increase in the city last year. Police report 137 aggravated assaults compared to 123 the year before. Police say most of these incidents involved people that knew each other.

The city had six homicides, one less than in 2016. Homicides, rapes, robberies, larcenies, and auto thefts also declined.

Meanwhile, calls for service have significantly grown from 68,610 to 91,380. Police say this is due to more consistent reporting of traffic stops as calls for service, and additional traffic stops as part of the the Vision Zero traffic safety initiative.

For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.

Images via Alexandria Police