Rising New Mexico crime rates propelled by Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The FBI is reporting rising rates of property and violent crime in New Mexico that is largely propelled by increases in the state's most populous city Albuquerque. The agency's Crime in the United States report released on Monday shows that violent crime and property crime increased by 6.8 percent and 6.2 percent across the state between 2015 and 2016. Albuquerque saw violent crime increase by 15.5 percent and property crime rise by 13.3 percent. Although crime rates for New Mexico are lower than they were decades ago, the crime spike in Albuquerque comes on the heels of four consecutive years of rising violent crime. The FBI estimates that the rates of both violent crime and property crime dropped in rural and suburban areas in the state.