Overall crime in Montgomery County, Maryland, dropped 7% in 2024, according to the county executive.

During his final weekly media briefing of the year, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich touted the drop, saying property crime dipped 6%, motor vehicle thefts dropped 15% and carjackings plummeted 43%.

There were 19 homicides in 2024 — down from 29 in 2023 — and the number of shootings dropped 19%.

That said, Elrich told reporters in Tuesday’s briefing, “The numbers are good, but I’m not a big fan of declaring victory. The numbers are still too high.”

Elrich said he believes the introduction and increased use of technology, such as license plate readers, drones and traffic cameras, has had a positive impact. He said those techniques “are sending a signal that we’re not an easy mark and that the county is serious about protecting its citizens.”