Report: Crime rates climb in Monmouth

By Jessica Ercolino, Staff Writer
   New Jersey’s overall crime rate decreased in 2007, according to the New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Report released last week, but some local municipalities saw increased crime — particularly domestic violence cases.
   The annual report outlines crime totals for every New Jersey town and shows the number of violent and nonviolent incidents in 2007, calculating crime rate based per 1,000 residents. Violent offenses include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Burglary, larceny and motor vehicle thefts are categorized as nonviolent offenses. The report also indicates the number of arson, domestic violence and bias crime cases reported last year.
   In 2007, violent crime and nonviolent crime in New Jersey fell 7 and 4 percent, respectively, according to the report. While statewide domestic violence dropped 3 percent last year, Monmouth County saw a near-5 percent increase, which included spikes in Allentown, Millstone, Upper Freehold and Roosevelt.
   Millstone Township had the largest percent increase in domestic violence, reporting eight cases in 2006 and 52 last year. Upper Freehold also saw a large increase with 25 reported cases in 2007 — more than three times as many as in 2006.
   Both Allentown and Roosevelt boroughs have relatively smaller populations than other local municipalities, but saw jumps in their domestic violence numbers as well. Allentown, with about 2,000 residents, reported six cases last year — twice as many as in 2006. Roosevelt, with about 900 residents, also reported six cases last year after reporting none in 2006.
   State police Capt. Al Della Fave said the report it is meant to get a sense of the crime climate in New Jersey and state police cannot comment on individual municipalities that it patrols.
   Tina Morgan, a Domestic Violence Response Team coordinator in Monmouth County, said increased awareness and training on the issue could be the reason for the increase in reported domestic violence incidents.
   ”It’s still a private issue, but years ago people would think, ‘What goes on in the home, stays in the home,’ and they wouldn’t report it,” she said. “Now, people are reaching out and realizing that if they ask for help, there is someone out there.”
   Ms. Morgan is part of the group called 180, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault in the community by providing support, education and advocacy. The Hazlet-based agency has a 24-hour, toll-free hotline for victims of domestic violence (888-843-9262) and sexual assault (888-264-RAPE).
   The organization has established response teams in 37 of Monmouth County’s 53 municipalities. The teams provide assistance to domestic violence victims at the time of the crisis by responding to police headquarters, offering emotional support and advising victims of their legal rights. Everything is kept anonymous and confidential, the coordinator said.
   The 180 group does not have teams in Allentown, Millstone, Upper Freehold or Roosevelt, Ms. Morgan said, but the agency is looking to have them in place by spring 2009.
   For more information on 180 and domestic violence, call 732-264-4111 or visit www.180nj.org.
ALLENTOWN
   While the overall crime rate in the borough slightly increased last year, Allentown had the largest drop of local municipalities in violent crime.
   A robbery was the only violent crime reported in the borough last year. In 2006, there were three reported aggravated assaults. The borough had no reported murders or rapes in 2006 or 2007.
   Director of Public Safety Harvey Morrell said the drop in violent crimes could not be directly attributed to anything because “those things happen in cycles,” but noted that the borough was fortunate to not have many incidents.
   ”(The Police Department) has done an excellent job and this is a very safe community,” he said. “It’s a nice place to live.”
   Allentown did see a 15 percent rise in nonviolent crime rate, with increases in burglary (from three to five cases) and motor vehicle theft (from one to three cases). Mr. Morrell said there was no noticeable cause for the increase.
MILLSTONE
   Millstone saw a drop in overall crime rate last year, but the township’s violent crime rate doubled as a result of increased aggravated assault incidents. There were seven reports of assault last year — five more than in 2006.
   Nonviolent crimes in Millstone dropped 27 percent in 2007, with burglary and larceny incidents falling 44 and 16 percent, respectively.
   Motor vehicle thefts in the township also saw a significant drop. Between 2005 and 2006, the number of cars stolen nearly tripled, according to past reports, but the number dropped from 12 to 6 last year.
   Millstone Township, which had about 10,000 residents in 2006, is patrolled by state police.
PLUMSTED
   Plumsted Township saw a 27 percent increase in its crime rate due to a sharp jump in reported larceny incidents last year.
   According to the report, 60 cases of theft were reported in 2007; there were 36 the year before. The township also saw a slight increase in burglary (from 15 to 19 cases) and one reported robbery after zero in 2006.
   Lt. George Titko said the increase reflects a rash of car break-ins in 2007 where radar detectors and loose change were being stolen.
   Like Millstone, Plumsted Township saw motor vehicle thefts triple between 2005 and 2006, but that number dropped from 15 to 8 last year. There were no documented arsons or rapes last year after two of each occurred in 2006. No murders have been reported in the last two years.
   Lt. Titko said the drop in violent crime could be attributed to increased police presence in the township and proactive patrolling. The Plumsted Police Department added an additional police employee to its 12-person staff in 2007, according to the report.
   Plumsted had 8,122 residents in 2006.
ROBBINSVILLE
   Robbinsville saw a 23 percent drop in its overall crime, affected mostly by a decrease in nonviolent crimes, according to the report.
   Larceny fell 23 percent (from 95 to 73 cases) and there were two motor vehicle thefts reported in 2007, compared to nine the year before.
   The township of 11,906 residents did see a slight increase in violent crime in 2007, with seven cases of aggravated assault — two more than in 2006. Last year, Robbinsville reported two robberies, one arson case, three bias crimes and no murders or rapes.
   D. Sgrt. Vincent Estelle said that different years show different trends in crime and there is nothing specific that caused the numbers to change.
   ”A lot of times it just depends on who’s coming in and out of towns,” he said. “But by far, Robbinsville is a safe place to live.”
ROOSEVELT
   In Roosevelt, the crime rate stayed relatively consistent between 2006 and 2007.
   Only one violent crime, an aggravated assault, was reported — the same as in 2006. There were no murders, rapes or robberies reported in the last two years.
   One instance of burglary and two reports of larceny were reported in 2007, which is one more of each than documented the previous year.
   The borough is patrolled by state police.
UPPER FREEHOLD
   The overall crime rate in Upper Freehold dropped, but the township saw an increase in aggravated assaults. There were four reported in 2006 and six last year.
   There were no murders, rapes or robberies reported in the township over the last two years.
   The township of 6,573 residents saw a drop in larceny — nine fewer incidents than in 2006. There only was one motor vehicle theft reported last year, two fewer than the year before.
   Upper Freehold is patrolled by state police.
To view the 2007 Uniform Crime Report online, visit www.njsp.org/info/ucr2007.