GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) -The City of Greenville got a look at crime stats Monday for the past year, showing a big increase in homicides.

Greenville Police Chief Ted Sauls presented the 2022 figures for Part 1 crimes to Greenville City Council.

Part 1 crimes are broken down into violent crimes such as homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, and property crimes like burglary, larceny, and auto theft.

Sauls says there was a five-percent increase in violent crime and a 17-percent increase in property crime.

He says the biggest reason for the property crime increase was vehicle thefts.

When it comes to violent crime, there were 12 homicides last year compared to three in 2021. Sauls says a third of those homicides were domestic-related, while 40 percent of aggravated assault cases were.

The chief says education and family dynamics are what will drive those numbers down. “It’s hard to have an impact on something that’s happening behind closed doors. Things that are happening on the street and in public, we can have a direct impact on.”

While there was an increase in Part 1 crimes last year, Sauls says the 5-year average is still trending down.