Reported violent crime incidents in Evanston rose 15.6 percent last year. But the overall index crime rate declined 2.5 percent, because of a sharp drop in theft and arson cases.
All categories of violent crime increased:
- Murders increased from one to two.
- Criminal sexual assaults rose from 10 to 12.
- Robberies increased from 135 to 141.
- Aggravated assault and battery cases increased from 98 to 127.
In the property crime categories:
- Burglaries increased from 853 to 861.
- Incidents of theft declined from 1,953 to 1,827.
- Auto thefts increase from 123 to 137.
- Arson cases fell from 13 to zero.
Overall crime rates in Evanston have declined nearly 40 percent since 1985.