According to police, crime in Kinston decreased in the first half of 2024

KINSTON, NC (WITN) – An East Carolina city is reporting a significant drop in crime in the first half of this year.

The Kinston Police Department today released its 2024 semi-annual crime report.

It shows that the number of serious crimes fell by 18% compared to the first half of 2023, while minor crimes or misdemeanors saw a significant decline of 66%.

“These improvements are due to precise policing strategies and proactive enforcement efforts that have resulted in the seizure of illegal firearms and the arrest of individuals carrying weapons without permission,” the police department said.

Breaking down the figures, we can see that arson fell by 25%, aggravated assaults by 44%, burglaries by 20%, drug-related crimes by 38%, car thefts by 17% and robberies by 59%, while murders increased by 38% (from 2 to 3) in the first half of the year.

While most offenses decreased significantly, the number of drunk driving arrests in Kinston increased from 12 to 66, a 450% increase over the previous year.

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