By LEONARD GRAY

LAPLACE – Law enforcement efforts in the River Parishes have borne fruit, with significant cuts in property crime incidence.

The mid-year recap of crime statistics for St. John the Baptist Parish reflects a 6 percent decrease in the incidence of major crimes, compared to the same time last year.

The mid-year review of crime statistics for St. Charles Parish shows a 7.25 percent decrease in the incidence of major crimes during the first six months of 2002, compared to the same time last year.

Recapping St. James Parish crime statistics, murder, robbery, assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft are all down, while theft is up.

St. John Parish

“Who deserves the credit are those guys in the trenches,” Sheriff Wayne L. Jones said.

Compared to last year, motor vehicle theft and assaults each dropped 19 percent, and burglary decreased 14 percent. No forcible rapes were reported for the first six months of 2002, and though murder went up from one in the first half of 2001 to five this year, the increase is attributed to the David Roy case, where a Garyville man allegedly killed his wife and three children.

Increases were cited for robbery, a 25 percent increase, and in theft, a 5 percent increase from the same six-month period last year. By the numbers, murder went from one to five incidents, rape went from one to none, robbery went from 20 to 25, assaults went from 239 to 194, burglary went from 125 to 107, theft went from 348 to 366 and auto theft went from 85 to 69. Comparing the second quarter of 2002, April to June, with the same period in 2001 shows an even more dramatic decrease.

Assault went from 114 to 78, a 32 percent decrease; burglary went from 74 to 45, a 39 percent decrease; and auto theft went from 42 to 25, a 40 percent decrease. Increases were noted in robbery, 10 to 12, a 20 percent increase; and theft, from 167 to 175, a 5 percent increase. Overall, the second quarter totaled at 408 incidents in 2001, and was cut to 339 incidents in 2002, a 17 percent decrease.

St. Charles Parish

“Last year was our best in five years,” Sheriff Greg C. Champagne said. “So far, we’re under that. I was surprised.”

For the first half of 2002, there were a total of 1,215 incidents, compared to 1,310 in 2001, of major crimes, including murder, rape, assault, robbery, theft and auto theft. Compared to last year, every crime category dropped in the incidence total, except murder, where there were two in the first six months of each year.

By the numbers, the incidence of rape went from 11 to seven from 2001 to 2002. Robbery went from 21 to 17, assaults went from 492 to 444, burglary went from 217 to 196, theft went from 507 to 505 and auto theft went from 60 to 44 incidents.

Comparing the second quarter of 2002, April to June, with the same period in 2001 shows a slightly different picture, with some categories experiencing small increases. However, improved numbers in the first quarter offset them and improved the first half of 2002 over 2001.

First quarter numbers were as follows: murder went from one to none, rape went from eight to three, assault went from 255 to 223, a 0.91 percent decrease; robbery increased from eight to nine, burglary increased from 116 to 117; theft increased 297 to 301; and auto theft went from 31 to 24 incidents.

Overall, the second quarter totaled at 716 incidents in 2001, and was cut to 677 incidents in 2002, a 9.45 percent decrease.

St. James Parish

Reviewing crime statistics for the first half of 2002, in comparison with the same period in 2001, homicide went from one last year to none this year.

Rape stayed the same, with one incident reported in each time period. Robbery went from four in 2001 to one in 2002, while theft went from 155 in 2001 to 219 in 2002. Motor vehicle theft was cut, with 18 reported in 2001 and 12 in 2002; while burglary went from 87 in 2001 to 36 in 2002.

The sheriff’s office reported totals during the January-June 2001 period of 64 DWI arrests, 54 drug-related arrests and 71 juvenile arrests. In the same period this year, the totals showed 86 DWI arrests, 81 drug-related arrests and 45 juvenile arrests.