MBTA Reports Overall Drop In Crime, Rise In Aggravated Assaults

The MBTA is reporting a drop in the overall rate of serious crime during the first six months of the year, though the number of aggravated assaults on the Boston-area transit system was higher than in the same period a year ago.

According to crime statistics released by transit police, 384 serious crimes were committed between Jan. 1 and June 30, compared to 395 over the first six months of 2013.

While the number of simple assaults has fallen by 22 percent, there was a 38 percent jump in aggravated assaults in which some type of weapon was used.

MBTA police chief Paul MacMillan tells The Boston Globe there is no obvious explanation for the increase.

The T says robberies, including thefts of smartphones, were down 28 percent from a year ago.