Rape cases and vehicle thefts increased in Minnesota in 2018, but most other major crimes went down, according to a statewide crime report issued Monday.
The report by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension showed reports of rape and human trafficking ticked up from 2017 to 2018.
But violent crimes, in general, saw a nearly 7 percent drop, the report found.
According to the report:
- Murders declined from 114 in 2017 to 104 last year.
- Rape cases jumped 9 percent, climbing from 2,429 reported incidents to 2,656. The jump follows increases in reports in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
- Reports of human trafficking increased slightly, from 173 to 183.
- Robberies dropped substantially, from 3,645 to 2,941.
- Aggravated assault reports fell from 7,115 in 2017 to 6,687 last year.
Property crimes fell around 9 percent between 2017 and 2018, though vehicle thefts continued to climb.
According to the report:
- Larceny saw the biggest drop, falling from 93,455 incidents in 2017 to 85,162 last year.
- Motor vehicle thefts went from 9,960 to 10,073. The jump is in line with previous increases in vehicle thefts in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
- Arson cases fell from 534 to 426.
The report also noted that drug abuse violation arrests for opiates, heroin and cocaine continue to climb across the state. They increased from 2,315 in 2017 to 2,683 in 2018. That number was about 1,600 in 2014.
Bias-motivated incidents fell from 147 to 127. The drop follows an increase in the crime in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The BCA report is a compilation of data from local law enforcement agencies. The BCA compiles the data into an annual report and provides it to the FBI. The full report can be found on the BCA’s website.