Lacey Crime Down in 2013 Despite Heroin Epidemic

Crime in a host of major categories was down significantly in Lacey in 2013 despite the township's struggles with a heroin epidemic that has spread throughout Ocean County.

The final crime statistics for 2013 were released by the New Jersey State Police this week, and in Lacey they showed an overall 29.1 percent drop in crime from the year before.

Burglaries – forcible, unlawful and attempted burglaries – were down from 119 in 2012 to 62 in 2013, a 47.9 percent drop.

Thefts also decreased by 23 percent; there were 539 in 2012 and 413 in 2013.

Auto thefts dropped, though the number of incidents was low enough to make percentages statistically insignificant. There were five auto thefts in 2013 compared to seven in 2012.

Simple assaults dropped from 149 in 2012 to 95 in 2013, and gun crime dropped from three weapons assaults in 2012 to none this past year. As a whole, the number of assaults involving weapons and aggravated assaults remained about the same – 13 in 2012 and 11 in 2013. Robberies involving weapons or strong-arm tactics likewise stayed steady – dropping from 3 to 2 between the two years.

There were no murders or rapes in Lacey in 2013.

In all, the number of crimes charged dropped from 832 in 2012 to 590 in 2013.

The State Police report did not include statistics on drug arrests.