The good news: Forcible rape – which spiked locally in 2012 – and aggravated assaults are way down so far this year across the Santa Clarita Valley.

The bad news: Burglaries and thefts are way up.

As the year opened, Santa Clarita’s burglary rate jumped by 50.2 percent compared to January of 2012, with 90 reported burglaries in the first month of 2013 versus 60 a year earlier.

Thefts rose by 33.8 percent, with 238 reported in January 2013 compared to 178 in January 2012.

Grand theft auto was even at 29, while arson reports fell to two incidents in January  2013 from three in January 2012.

Overall, the “serious” (i.e., property) crime rate has risen by 32.9 percent, year-over-year.

Reported incidents of rape fell to just one in January from four a year earlier, for a statistical decline of 73.3 percent.

Aggravated assault fell by 55 percent, with 12 reports in January 2013 versus 27 in January 2012.

Robberies were down by 13.3 with seven in January compared to eight a year earlier. Homicides were even at zero for the month.

Overall violent crime – murder, rape, robbery, assault – fell by 49 percent in January.

Combined, violent and property crimes in the SCV are up 22.6 percent so far this year.

Compared to five years ago, however, violent and property crimes are down by 10.2 percent.