Crime rates continue to rise in Colorado. The 2016 Crime in Colorado Report is now out. The numbers don't look good.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation the Centennial State, overall, saw a 5.5 percent increase in crime. Those include incidents such as robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault, burglary, larceny, car theft, rape, and homicide. In fact, every one of those types of crimes saw an increase. Especially rapes, aggravated assaults, and homicides.

Here's the breakdown of actual numbers per crime:

  • Car theft - 19,430 (that's up 22 percent)
  • Aggravated Assault - 11,568 (+8.3 percent)
  • Robbery - 3,518 (+5.9 percent)
  • Simple Assaults - 35,265 (+3.6 percent)
  • Larceny 106,768 (+4.3 percent)
  • Burglary - 23,515 (+0.8 percent)
  • Rape - 3,512 (+7.2 percent)
  • Homicide - 189 (+9.9 percent)

What is frightening is that crime went up almost 6 percent while arrests only went up 0.4 percent.

In Mesa County, the numbers are worse. Especially when it comes to rapes, property, homicides and manslaughter crimes. According to Sheriff Matt Lewis, Mesa County has seen an increase of almost 500 percent in the past 10 years. A struggling economy, a continuing growing drug problem and a decrease in the number of law enforcement officials are some of the reasons we are seeing these numbers on the rise.

Now, this ties in with a previous post I did showing the vast increase in carrying concealed gun permits. More guns = less crime some people believe. Well, that may sound good in theory, but these numbers show that that is not working.

More From 99.9 KEKB - Grand Junction's Favorite Country