LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / October 28, 2000

HAHNVILLE – Third-quarter crime statistics released by the St. CharlesParish Sheriff’s Office Thursday indicate a 9 percent decrease from the previous quarter and a 10 percent decrease from the same period in 1999.

Only auto theft and burglary incidents charted any noticeable increases.

A total of 665 crimes were charted in the Uniform Crime Reports Index reported to the FBI for July-September 2000, which lists incidences of murder, rape, assault, robbery, burglary, theft and auto theft.

The preceding quarter, April-June 2000, charged 729 crimes. In the thirdquarter of 1999, 738 incidents were recorded.

A breakdown was provided by Capt. Patrick Yoes of the Special ServicesDivision.

In crimes against the person, two murders were reported in the third quarter of 2000 and none in the preceding quarter. In July-September1999, there were no murders charted.

Incidents of rape totaled two in the third quarter of 2000, with five in the preceding quarter and two in the July-September 1999 span.

Assaults numbered 259 in the third quarter of 2000, up slightly from the same time last year and down slightly from the preceding quarter, with 263 in the preceding quarter and 247 in the same period last year.

Robberies totaled five in the third quarter of 2000, down from seven in the second quarter, and plunged from the 13 incidents recorded during the same period of 1999.

Among property crimes burglary totaled 134 incidents in the third quarter, up from 112 in the second quarter of this year and up from 112 during the same period last year.

Theft totaled 277 in July-September 2000, down from 313 in the second quarter of this year and down from 302 during the same period last year.

Auto theft totaled 36 incidents in the third quarter, up from 29 in the second quarter of this year and up from 24 during the same period of 1999.

Since Champagne first took office in July 1996 crime has generally dropped in St. Charles Parish. In calendar year 1997 crime incidentstotaled 2,768 and dropped to 2,753 in 1998 and, in 1999, dropped again to 2,737 incidents.

So far in 2000, a total of 2,158 incidents have been reported for the first nine months.

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