Serious crime decreases in Wilmington and much of Southeast N.C.

Serious crime in North Carolina inched up in 2007 though crime fell in Wilmington and two other jurisdictions in the area, according to statistics released Tuesday by Attorney General Roy Cooper's Office.

Although crime increased 0.1 percent statewide, violent crime in North Carolina fell 0.7 percent in 2007, according to the report.

The numbers include a 4.9 percent decrease in violent and property crimes in Wilmington, which continues a drop in crime in the city since 2002, according to Chief Ralph Evangelous. That year, Wilmington was one of the 10 most dangerous cities - in terms of crime per capita - in the country, Evangelous said.

"Every year we're progressing downward and becoming a safer and safer city," he said. "We still have too much crime for a city our size."

The crime rates for the state and certain jurisdictions are based on reports of violent crimes - murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults - and property crimes - burglaries, larcenies and motor vehicle thefts.

Wilmington's reduction in those crimes was the second largest drop among 15 cities included in the report.

But two area counties saw even larger decreases in violent and property crimes.

Crime dropped 7.3 percent in New Hanover County, and 9.6 percent in Brunswick County, according to the report. Meanwhile, crime in Pender County increased 10.2 percent.

A spokesman with the Pender County Sheriff's Office attributed the increase to changes brought on by growth and the unpredictable, cyclical nature of crime.

The numbers

The report compiled by the State Bureau of Investigation is based on numbers reported to the state through departments, which the state audits for accuracy, officials said.

The murder rate in North Carolina increased 8.5 percent, while rapes decreased 5.2 percent statewide. The robbery rate fell 0.4 percent statewide, and aggravated assaults fell 0.6 percent, according to the report.

Property crimes increased 0.2 percent. Despite the slight overall increase in crime in 2007, North Carolina is safer than it was a decade ago, according to the statement from Cooper's office.

Crime is down almost 15 percent in the past decade, a number that includes a 14 percent drop in property crimes and a 20 percent drop in violent crimes, according to the statement.

But in the written statement, Cooper says North Carolina should continue to push for tougher sentences and better crime-fighting technology. The state is opening a new crime lab in Greensboro next month and has expanded other labs in recent years.

A variety of factors

In Brunswick County, Capt. Gene Caison cited better technology and tougher sentences for certain offenders as reasons for the drop in crime in 2007.

Structured sentencing, enacted in the mid-1990s keeps the worst offenders in jail longer, which prevents them from re-offending, he said.

Also the office is focusing on charging some offenders as habitual felons and as felons in possession of firearms - crimes that carry tough sentences upon conviction.

"Ten percent of the criminals are committing 90 percent of the crime," Caison said. "Our theory is if you can lock up that 10 percent, you're cutting down 90 percent of the crime."

But Caison also said crime is affected by many factors, and Brunswick County probably benefitted from a good economy in 2007.

Maj. Keith Hinkle, of the Pender County Sheriff's Office, which saw an increase in crime, said the problem goes in cycles, which are tough to predict. The office has noticed a slight rise in larcenies and breaking and entering, he said.

Growth has affected the county in many ways, Hinkle said, and could have contributed to the increase even in a per capita crime rate.

"We try to be vigilant. We always like to be able to say we can stop it and curb it," he said. "We do what we can do to deal with it as it comes."

Chief Deputy Ed McMahon, of the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, said he's pleased by a drop in crime in 2007 but it doesn't change anything for law enforcement.

"We're going to continue working as hard as we can to keep the community as safe as possible," he said. "It's a nice thing, but we don't take it as any kind of victory. There's a lot of crime out there."

In Wilmington, Evangelous said 2008 seems to be continuing the downward trend. But assaults are rising, and guns in the hands of criminals are a persistent problem, he said. Officers are seizing guns off the street almost every day, Evangelous said, adding that they find everything from handguns to assault rifles in the hands of criminals. The department continues to work on an initiative to get guns away from criminals, he said.

In addition, Evangelous said he's hopeful the department's re-entry program will help former inmates find jobs and not re-offend.

About 60 percent of inmates released from prison are rearrested, he said.

"We can't continue to make excuses," Evangelous said. "We have too much crime in the city even with these reductions."

David Reynolds: 343-2075

dave.reynolds@starnewsonline.com