A trend which seems to also be affecting the public consciousness of safety is the rise in larceny crimes.

Larceny rose by seven percent in 1993 . But Harvard Square is traditionally the hardest hit, says the report, averaging more than double the number of crimes of the next most dangerous area.

The report says pickpockets often use public transportation, so the square it a convenient stop. Also the numerous distractions in the Square and the high number of tourists. make the area attractive for thieves.

Overall, crime in Harvard Square has declinedsignificantly since the eighties, the report says.

In 1993, larceny of motor vehicles andmalicious destruction of property declined by 27and 22 percent respectively, while auto theft roseby eight percent.

But one very disturbing figure is the 61percent rise in housebreaks in the Harvard areaover the past year, as compared to an 11 percentrise overall.

The 158 housebreaks in neighborhood six, whichincludes the Yard and parts of the University, wasmore than twice the figure of any of Cambridge's13 neighborhoods.

"It is considered to be basically stable,"Anderson said of Harvard Square in an interviewyesterday. "It is a safe area in and aroundHarvard. You have an excellent police departmentthere and we coordinate together well and we feelthings are going in the right direction."

Another trend which the report notes is therise in bicycle thefts in and around the Square,which registered a 26 percent increase in thecity.

"They are kind of difficult because it is leftup to people to secure bicycles better than theyhave," Anderson said. "The best thing we can do isto continue to educate."

Anderson also emphasizes education in hisreport for the entire city.

"The public's uncertainty about how much crimethere is and of what elements the crime problem iscomposed remains a major stumbling block inbuilding partnerships between the PoliceDepartment and the citizens of the City," Andersonsays in his letter to Cantabrigians.

Anderson credits the Cambridge SafeNeighborhoods Initiative with sparking a citywideeffort to find solutions to crime.

Commercial robbery, which normally averagebetween 50 to 55 incidents per year in areas suchas Harvard, Porter and Central square, fell to atotal of 21.

Anderson attributes the decline to the newpolice walking patrolling system.

The commissioner also calls for the furtherexpansion of the Cambridge crime fightingcommunity in his letter to citizens.

"To hold [the increase in crime] in check itwill take a partnership comprised of not just thePolice and citizens, but every city agency, thebusiness community, public service providers andchurch leaders," Anderson says in the letter.

He adds, "The role of parents must be expanded.For many of our youth the problem is not in thestreet but in the home.