Despite the recent rash of shootings and two homicides, police officials said statistics show that crime within Yazoo City has decreased from last year.
Police Chief Ron Sampson presented the figures to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen this week to compare the criminal numbers from the last fiscal year to now.
Sampson said there has been an overall 54 percent decrease in property crimes this year to date. There has been an increase in automobile burglaries, with 27 being reported this year compared to 11 from last year. But business and house burglaries have decreased this year. Last year, 25 business burglaries were reported. Nine have been reported so far this year. And house burglaries have decreased from 86 to 44.
Sampson said there has been a 15 percent increase in crimes against a person, but that increase is due to aggravated assault cases. Last year, there were 30 cases as opposed to this year with 44.
“But in those 44 aggravated assault cases, we were able to identify suspects in each and every one of those crimes,” Sampson said. “The sad part about it is that a large percentage of those were victims who knew their assailant, and they refused to come sign affidavits and follow up by going to court.”
There is a 13 percent decrease in armed robberies with investigators being able to close all cases except one.
Sexual assault cases have decreased from seven to six reports. Felony domestic cases have also decreased from 12 to 11.
Sampson said there has been a 34 percent decrease in reported felony crimes from 270 to 137.
“We have also had three operations with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Alcohol, Beverage and Tobacco Control,” Sampson said. “And those operations will be ongoing.”
