Spring is here, and along with the warmer weather so are the First Quarter Part One crime stats for the seven neighborhoods of the Camden Community. With the exception of assaults, which saw a 41% increase, violent crimes were down in the first quarter. There were no homicides reported, two rapes (down 60%), and 27 robberies (down 13%). Of the 55 aggravated assaults reported approximately 30 were domestic, and 25 were non-domestic.
Among property crimes, only auto theft was down, but it was down significantly from 75 in 2008 to 27 in 2009, a 64% reduction. Simple theft was up 28% from 60 in 2008 to 77 in 2009, while arson remained unchanged at two reported cases in the first quarter of each year. The biggest increase in property crimes was for burglary, up 34% from last year. There were 115 burglaries reported in the first quarter of 2008 as compared to 154 in 2009, an increase of 39. Burglary, more than any other single category, is responsible for the 5% overall increase in Part One crimes in the first quarter.
This increase in burglaries is not unique to the Camden Community. Overall, burglaries in the 4th Precinct were up 27% in the first quarter. As is usually the case, the vast majority of these burglaries are residential, with most of them involving dwellings. The second most likely target is garages. A handful of business burglaries are also reported.
But what do these burglary numbers mean in terms of a person's actual risk? According to the 2000 Census, there are 11,245 households in the Camden Community. Using this number, this means that 1 in 73 homes were burglarized in the first quarter of 2009. Each household had slightly less than a 1.4% chance of being burglarized. Of course, as stated many times in this column, burglars don't pick their targets entirely at random. They look for relatively safe and easy targets of opportunity. By reducing the opportunities at our homes, we can significantly reduce our personal chances of being in that 1.4%.
Warmer weather also brings its own unique set of burglary risks that everyone should consider. First and foremost, if you're doing yard work in the back, make sure to lock your front door, and vice versa. This is the time of year when some burglars look for the unlocked front doors of people working in their back yard gardens. It only takes a few seconds for a burglar to grab a purse or laptop and ruin your day.
It's also important to make sure that lawn, garden and other tools are kept secure. Don't leave ladders or similar items lying about. Not only can ladders be stolen, they can be used to gain entry through an unlocked second-story window or porch. Although we rarely see second-story break-ins, they are more prevalent in the spring and summer months when people are more likely to leave ladders in their yards.
Not surprisingly, we also see an increase in burglars gaining entry through open windows in the spring and summer months. Never leave windows open when you're not home. Also be careful about leaving ground floor windows open for ventilation at night when sleeping. Although still rare, we often see an increase in occupied dwelling burglaries in the summer when burglars take advantage of open windows at night. Although in most of these cases the burglar doesn't want to have anything to do with the residents, it's still frightening, and potentially dangerous to encounter a burglar in your home. Consult your Crime Prevention Specialist (CPS) for tips on securing windows while allowing them to be open for ventilation. Call the 4th Precinct at 673-5704 and ask to speak to your CPS.
It's also important to pay attention to your landscaping. Remember to keep shrubs and bushes trimmed down to a height of no more than 3 feet and the lower branches of trees up to a height of at least 6 feet. Prowlers often take advantage of cover provided by overgrown plantings in the yard. As the season progresses, and your trees and bushes leaf out, pay attention to make sure they don't offer a burglar an opportunity for concealment.
Each season brings its own unique set of crime risks and circumstances. By keeping these guidelines in mind you can significantly reduce your chances of being a burglary victim. For more home security and crime prevention tips call the 4th Precinct at 673-5704 and ask to speak to your Crime Prevention Specialist.