Evening star., 1953-04-27
Robberies Lead
Increase in
Crime
All Major Offenses
Except Homicide
Follow U. S. Rise
By Miriom Ottenbero

oy miTIom gutenberg
Led by a 40 per cent increase
In robberieS, all major crimes
in the District except homicide,
showed an upward surge last
year.
The Federal Bureau of Inves-
tigation Uniform Crime Reports,
made public today. showed that
Washington increases in crime
parallel a rising curve through
out the Nation-although some
of the District increases were
much greater.
j. Edgar Hoover, director of
the FBI. reported that for the
first time in seven years, all clas-
Sif1cations of major crime in
creased in the cities. Rural and
urban major crimes combined
for an 80 per cent increase
over 1851.
For the first time in the his
tory of recorded crime statistics,
major crimes passed the two mil
lion mark. The figures are based
on data submitted to the FBI
by law enforcement agencies
throughout the Nation.
Separate Punishment Urged.
Police Chief Robert v. Murray,
after studying the FBI report.
noted major increases in the
District incidence of robberieS
and housebreakings. He COM
mented that both types of crimes
are associated with offenders
who commit a series of crimes
before they are caught. He re-
peated his call for separate pun
iShmentS for each crime where
multiple crimes are involved as
q deterrent to the underworld.
The Star. in a series of articles
recently, cited numerous cases
where robbers and houSebreakers
charged by police with a long
series of crimes, escaped with
punishment for only one or two.
BY a process of elimination,
The Star showed, robbers and
housebreakers who, charged by
police with more than a dozen
crimes. were indicted for per-
hapS four, were allowed to plead
guilty to. two and then given
concurrent sentences. The net
effect was that they were &C
tually punished for only one
crime.
Chief Murray also expressed
the belief that an adequate force
of foot patrolmen would greatly
reduce the crimes reflected in
the FBI statistics on Washing
ton He said his crime chart
began to show a sharp increase
when the force was reduced
through lack of appropriations
last July.
Major Crimes Listed.
Following are the figures on
major crime here in 1852, COM
pared with 1851, and Washing
tons comparison with other
cities:
Murder and non-negligent
manslaughter-72 in 1852, COM
pared with 86 in 1851 for 1853
per cent decrease. Washington
stands tenth in the Nation for
homicide.
Robbery-943 in 1852, COM
pared with 674 in 1851 for a 40
per cent increase. Washington
stands seventh in the Nation in
robberieS.
Aggravated assault-4,592 in
1852, compared with 4,308 in
1851, for a 6.5 per cent increase.
Long the leader in feloniouS as
sault, Washington is now second
to New York City.
Housebreaking-5,391 in 1852,
compared with 4,O17 in 1851, for
an increase Of 34.2 per cent.
Washington is fifth in the Nation
in burglarieS.
LarcenieS over $50-2,035 in
1852, compared with 1871 in
1851, for an increase of 14.2 per
cent. Washington is sixth in the
Nation Qarcenies over $500.
Larcenies under $50-9,492 in
1852, compared with 1859 in
1851, for an increase Of 1872 per
cent increase. Washington also
is sixth in the Nation in smaller
thefts.
Auto theft-1,733 in 1852, COM
pared with 1921 in 1851; an in
crease of 35.2 per cent. Wash
ington is fourteenth in the Ma
ton in auto thefts.
Nationally, the 2,036,510 major
crimes reported last year, showed
an increase of 80 per cent over
the 1882 ,160 reported for 1851.
Aggravated Assault Leads.
Leading the individual in
creases in urban crime was ag-
gravated assault, which showed
a 1875 per cent increase over
1851.
Robberies in cities showed an
11.2 per cent increase.
Comparing 1852 city crimes
with pre-war averages, the FB1
noted a 32.9 per cent increase in
city crime above the 1937-39
average. All crime, the FBI said,
showed an increase over prewar
years with actual increases rang
ing from IA per cent for negli-
gent manSlaughter to 1865 per
cent for aggravated assault.
Other highlightS of the FBI re-
port were:
Automobile thefts, continuing
q three-year rise, increased by
90 per cent in 1852 over 1851.
A tabulation Of reports from
383 cities showed the value Of
property stolen in those cities
last year amounted to $225, 49,
400. An average value Of $1,000
was placed on the 1925 auto
mobiles stolen in those cities
Victims lost $3.50 In the-average
robbery, $3.50 in the average bur