Crime rate down in Baguio City, Ilocos Region provinces

The Baguio City Police Office and the whole of Region 1 recorded decrease in crime statistics, police authorities said.

             In Baguio City, 4,407 criminal cases were recorded in 2015, a 10.59-percent decrease in crime volume for the year, compared with 2014 which posted the 4,929 cases or 522 more.

The BCPO reported that most crimes committed in the city were theft, physical injury, and robbery.

Authorities said that out of the 1,789 persons arrested by police upon commission of the crime, 10 were for homicide cases; four for murder; 556, physical injury; 13, rape; 66, robbery; 527, theft; 16, carnapping; 64, violence against women; 135, special laws; 32, child abuse; and 365, other non-index crimes.

An intensified effort of the personnel also led to the arrest of 102 wanted persons.

Meanwhile in Region 1, Chief Supt. Erickson Velasquez said a 14.19-percent decrease in index crimes for the region was attained with only 1,559 cases reported in 2015.

However, Velasquez said the crime volume increased by 12. 9 percent due to an increase in non-index crimes committed.

The index crimes comprised of crimes against persons such as murder, homicide, physical injury and rape, and crimes against property such as robbery, theft, carnapping and cattle rustling recorded a total of 9,426 in 2015 while there were 10,985 in 2014.

On crimes against person and property under index crimes, records revealed the decrease of 309 and 1,250, respectively. – Mar T. Supnad