Crime down in Kane County
By KATE THAYER
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kthayer@kcchronicle.com
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| Sandy Bressner – sbressner@kcchronicle.com
According to the Illinois State Police, the Illinois crime rate index declined for the fifth consecutive year. While reports of arson, theft and criminal sexual assault all decreased, burglary and murder has increased statewide. |
Following a statewide trend, crime in central and western Kane County is down slightly, according to numbers released Tuesday by the Illinois State Police.
Local police say instead of the economy causing a spike in crime, it might have decreased the opportunity for some of the most commonly occurring crimes in the area – property crimes.
"With the economy being what it is … people are staying home. They aren't going out and buying new items," Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez said. "A lot of these things are a factor."
For the Sheriff's Office, which includes unincorporated areas of the county, index crimes fell 10 percent in 2008, compared to the year prior. The trend matches the state's overall 0.3 percent drop, and the 3 percent decrease for the collar counties. Index crimes are murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault/battery, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.
A big part of last year's decrease in this area is a drop in property crimes. The categories with the greatest difference were burglary and theft. Burglaries fell to 213 from 243, and thefts dropped from 568 to 531, according to the state's report.
Most residential burglaries occur during the day while people are at work, or while people are away on vacation, Perez explained. If homes aren't left empty, the opportunity for burglaries are reduced.
The same holds true for those that might target homes with new purchases, Perez added.
"If [a burglar] sees a box for a new plasma TV on the curb, don't be surprised if your house is broken into," he said.
But, a lack of opportunity isn't the only theory behind decreasing crime. Perez credits his office's proactive approach and community policing efforts.
A deputy tracks crime statistics each day, which he also reports on the office's Web site. The office uses the information in their daily operations, Perez said. He also noted the work deputies do with neighborhood watch groups.
St. Charles police spokesman Paul McCurtain gives a similar explanation for his city's property crime numbers. Although St. Charles had its first murder in years – the September 2008 stabbing of 28-year-old Naromi Mannery – most of the crime categories held steady or decreased. Thefts were up slightly from 828 to 831.
"It shows that the cooperation with our citizens along with the hard work of our department are paying off," he said.
The department's crime prevention efforts include directed patrols targeting problem areas at times that crimes usually occur. McCurtain said this strategy helps solve the problems instead of responding to calls.
Witnesses to a crime should try to provide a detailed physical description of the subject in addition to any vehicle involved. Police want as many details as possible, including license plate number, make, model, year, number of occupants and identifying characteristics, such as a loud muffler, dents or rust, McCurtain said.
"Our citizens have pretty much been very willing to provide information," he said. "It seems like there's been more recently, especially for some of the bigger cases."
Batavia Deputy Chief Greg Thrun said his city's slight decrease in burglaries – from 118 to 101 – "surprised" him.
"In these economic times, that kind of surprised me," Thrun said. "Maybe it can be attributed to people staying at home rather than taking a vacation. The crime of opportunity was not there."
But Thrun also blamed the economy for an increase in thefts – to 519 in 2008, up from 508 in 2007. Thrun said retail thefts could be on the rise because of the sluggish economy.
In Sugar Grove, thefts jumped to 79 last year, up from 57 in 2007 – another sign of the times, Detective John Sizer said.
Sizer attributed the increase to a rash of drive-offs at Sugar Grove gas stations after a jump in gas prices in the spring and summer of 2008.
"The stations changed their policies, and now people have to pre-pay or by credit or debit card at the pump," Sizer said. "I can't remember the last time we took a drive-off report."
The number of burglaries also rose to 22 in 2008, up from 19 in 2007, which Sizer explained with several car burglaries in July 2008 where teens were taking such items as iPods and radar detectors from unlocked cars. The teens were later charged, he said.
Groups of crimes like that are also responsible for a slight increase in Geneva's numbers, Cmdr. Julie Nash said.
Overall, crime was up slightly, mostly due to an increase in burglaries – from 45 in 2007 to 56 in 2008. Nash said the increase can be attributed to a group of car burglaries where Global Positioning Systems in unlocked cars were targeted.
And, those responsible were apprehended, she said.
"A lot of times those numbers can be skewed," she said. "Numbers can go up as a result of a group coming into our area and committing burglaries."
Elburn Police Chief Steven Smith could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
• Jonathan Bilyk, Ashley Rhodebeck and Eric Schelkopf contributed to this report.
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