ABQ Crime Trending Downward

Auto theft and robberies for the first half of the year are down significantly from what they were for the same time last year, Mayor Tim Keller and Police Chief Mike Geier said Wednesday.

Geier credited officers for a 35 percent increase in traffic stops and progress in reducing auto burglary by 31 percent, auto theft by 16 percent, commercial burglary by 16 percent, residential burglary by 7 percent, robbery by 31 percent, rape by 4 percent and aggravated assault by 5 percent. While homicides and gun violence remain high, Keller and Geier outlined targeted operations to work with communities and increase enforcement in affected neighborhoods.

It has been the focus on traffic stops and auto theft that has helped lead to the reduction I n other crimes, Keller said. For instance, traffic stops for the first six months of the year increased by 35 percent to 23,461 stops.

“People need to know in Albuquerque that we are policing again,” Keller said, while adding that the crime stats are still too high and that public safety is his administration's top priority.

Here's a look at the trends for major crimes for the first six months of this year compared to last year.

2017 2018

Auto Burglary: 6,559 4,523 -39%

Auto Theft: 3,633 3,061 -16%

Commercial Burglary: 1,183 994 -16%

Residential Burglary 2,207 2,075 -11%

Robbery: 1,467 1,012 -31%

Rape: 236 226 -4%

Aggravated Assault: 1,957 1,851 -5%

Non-fatal shootings 60 63 +5%

Homicide 33 39 +18%

The Albuquerque metro area was ranked the nation's auto theft capital for 2017, the second consecutive year it held the top spot. But Keller and Geier said APD is working hard to reduce auto theft in the city.

During the first six months of 2018, APD officers recovered 2008 stolen vehicles and 394 auto theft related arrests. Keller said that APD now has four times as many bait cars on the streets than it did at this time last year.