Major crime in Kenner dipped by 4% in 2012.

The city saw decreases in six of the seven categories when compared with 2011.

Police Chief Steve Caraway says the only crime category to record an increase was rape, up by two with a total of 12 sexual assaults reported last year.

But Kenner logged a 78% drop in homicides with only two murders reported. The city usually averages about seven homicides a year. Caraway says the department has seen as many as 17 killings in one year

Robberies were down 12%, burglaries were down 7% and thefts were down 3%.

Chief Caraway gives some of the credit for the decrease in crime to citizens who area now more willing to report seemingly minor criminal activity in their neighborhoods.

"I have noticed many, many incidents of citizens calling the police reporting suspicious activities which have led us to make arrests on vehicle burglaries and residential burglaries," Caraway said.

He also tells The Advocate, residents could put a major dent in car burglaries by locking the doors of their vehicles.

"We constantly preach about asking people to lock their vehicles, but the fact remains that the majority of our vehicle burglaries are committed by people just pulling on unlocked car doors or truck doors," the police chief said.