Crime Rate Falls in City, Authorities Say

The city’s overall crime rate for the first six months of 2000 dropped significantly from the same period last year, although rape cases jumped 83% in the first half of the year, police said.

In almost every category, crime is down by at least 10%, most notably in burglary and major theft.

The three categories that either stayed the same or increased over last year are assaults--229 calls for service reported both this year and last--and forcible rape, which jumped from 18 calls in the first half of 1999 to 33 this year.

During the same period, there were three homicides, compared with one last year, Oxnard Police Sgt. Marty Meyer said.

The majority of the city’s rape cases were committed by people who were acquaintances, Meyer said.