AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Officials say crime in Maine fell again last year for the sixth consecutive year, though certain categories of crime such as rape, simple assault and motor vehicle theft increased.

The Maine Department of Public Safety says crime fell 8.2 percent in 2017, a number similar to the 8.7 percent decline in 2016.

Incidents of rape increased 17 percent to 448. Simple assaults climbed 2.2 percent to 9,527, while motor vehicle thefts rose 2.2 percent to 792.

Many other categories of crime went down. Aggravated assault fell 12.7 percent to 875, burglaries dropped 16.9 percent to 3,316 and arson fell 35 percent to 136.

The department says rural crime fell about 9 percent while crime in cities and towns went down about 8 percent.