Baltimore County Police reported a decline in several crime categories including homicides and rape in the first quarter of this year when compared to last.

Of the eight serious crime categories, seven have seen a decrease from January to March this year when compared with the same period in 2009, police said.

Homicides declined by 55.6 percent, rape decreased by 44.7 percent, motor vehicle theft by 29.3 percent, robbery by 17.6 percent, burglary by 4.6 percent, arson by 13.2 percent and theft by 6.8 percent, according to police.