Annual crime statistics released today by the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office show parish crime is down six percent from the previous year, said Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator.

Violent crimes dropped 11 percent (from 904 to 806), and property crimes dropped one percent (from 936 to 925). Overall, there were 1,731 reported crimes in 2010 compared to 1,840 the previous year.

Statistics show the biggest drop in crime was in the number of simple assaults reported to the Sheriff's Office. That number dropped from 595 to 511. Other decreases were in the number of thefts from auto, down from 70 to 53; shoplifting, down from 23 to 9; and rape, down from 19 to 17. In other crimes, burglaries were down from 261 to 258; aggravated burglaries were down from 11 to 4; and robberies were down from 13 to 11.

Categories recording slight increases included auto theft, which rose from 54 to 64, and homicides, which rose from three to five. Among the homicides was a shooting that claimed three victims in south Caddo Parish this past August.