By admin 
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Maryland (7News) — The Montgomery County Police Department recently presented new crime data to members of the county council.
7News spoke with Assistant Chief Nicholas Augustine, who said crime overall has decreased significantly.
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7News took a closer look at data from the first three quarters of this year and found that while homicides are down 46%, this year has already seen more homicides than 2019.
The number of carjackings has fallen by 44% compared to last year, but more will take place in 2024 than in 2019.
Shoplifting rates are up 18% since last year, but higher than before the pandemic.
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“We have seen an increase in crime between 2019 and 2024, but there are several factors at play. You look at economic factors, things that are not controlled by law enforcement. If you look at inflation, how does that affect shoplifting?” said Augustine.
He explained that businesses are now reporting shoplifting incidents more frequently than before the pandemic, which could contribute to the increased number of shoplifting cases.
Augustine said officers are working directly with retailers to catch the people committing the crimes.