CRIME

Overall crime up 13 percent in Los Angeles, ending more than a decade of declines

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck speaks as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti listens at left at a news conference to discuss mid year crime statistics in Los Angeles Wednesday, July 8, 2015. Crime has increased 13 percent in Los Angeles in the first six months of the year, ending more than a decade of declines in the nation’s second-largest city, according to statistics released by the LAPD. Garcetti said “this is bad news” but that Los Angeles remains one of the safest large cities in the U.S. Beck partially attributed the crime spike to increases in homelessness, gang crime and domestic violence. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) (The Associated Press)

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, right, speaks as Police Chief Charlie Beck listens at left at a news conference to discuss mid year crime statistics in Los Angeles Wednesday, July 8, 2015. Crime has increased 13 percent in Los Angeles in the first six months of the year, ending more than a decade of declines in the nation’s second-largest city, according to statistics released by the Los Angeles Police Department on Wednesday. Garcetti said “this is bad news” but that Los Angeles remains one of the safest large cities in the U.S. Beck partially attributed the crime spike to increases in homelessness, gang crime and domestic violence.(AP Photo/Nick Ut) (The Associated Press)

Crime has increased 13 percent in Los Angeles in the first six months of the year, ending more than a decade of declines in the nation's second-largest city.

That's according to statistics released by the Los Angeles Police Department on Wednesday.

Aggravated assaults saw the sharpest increase, jumping 26 percent the first six months of the year compared to the same time period in 2014. Rapes were up 8 percent and robberies nearly 17 percent. Only homicides saw a decrease — about 7 percent.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said at a news conference that "this is bad news" but that Los Angeles remains one of the safest large cities in the U.S.

Police Chief Charlie Beck partially attributed the crime spike to increases in homelessness, gang crime and domestic violence.