Chief says most serious crimes are down in Mesa

The crime rate in Mesa is down while arrests of violent criminals is up according to quarterly crime trend numbers.

Mesa police Chief George Gascon credits joint efforts with surrounding police agencies for the positive numbers.

Homicide, rape, burglary, theft, larceny and auto theft are down in Mesa. Robbery and aggravated assault are up.

However, the city says overall crime is down 9.4 percent this year compared with last year. And arrests are up about 7 percent.

The number of robberies in Mesa rose 14 percent and aggravated assaults went up 5.4 percent. Robberies in particular have been on the rise in Mesa over the past two years.

The chief says the department plans to continue working with federal and local agencies to maintain aggressive crime fighting.