Police: Vehicle Thefts in Bismarck, North Dakota, Doubled Last Year

Bismarck, N.D., police say the number of motor vehicle thefts more than doubled last year.

A new report that compiles crime statistics for the city shows 309 vehicles were stolen in Bismarck last year, compared with 154 in 2015.

Police Chief Dan Donlin tells the Bismarck Tribune that most of those crimes could be avoided if people would lock their vehicles and take their keys.

The report shows calls for service increased 7.5 percent from 2015, rising above 40,000 for the first time.

Crime against persons, which include murders, assaults and rapes, dropped from 1,206 in 2015 to 1,198 last year.