Crime rate down 5 percent

Anaheim's overall crime rate was down 5 percent through November, compared to the same period last year, according to statistics compiled by the Anaheim Police Department. The number of reported Part I crimes, classified by the FBI as homicide, rape, robbery, burglary, assault, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson, was 10,790 as of November 2003, a decrease of 5 percent from the 11,358 reported during the same period in 2002. The biggest drop came in homicides, which fell 71 percent. In 2003, there were only five homicides reported through November, down from 17 during the same period in 2002. "Homicides are crimes of passion. They're hard to predict," said Sgt. Rick Martinez, Police Department spokesman. "It's difficult to say what goes up or down," Martinez said. "But based on what we see so far, the numbers have dropped." In 2002, the city had an increase in crime, compared to the previous yer.