Tuesday, November 24, 2009 East Central Illinois
The Answer Book 2005
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Don't be a victim Police say good habits lower crime risk BY STEVE BAUER © 2009 THE NEWS-GAZETTE You can avoid becoming a victim of crime, according to local police. "No part of any city is absolutely crime-free," said Champaign police Deputy Chief Troy Daniels. "A lot of crime is crime of opportunity. The best way to avoid becoming a victim of crime is to avoid giving the criminals the opportunities to make you a victim." Daniels said identity theft is increasingly a problem and that confidence games, or "cons," come in a variety of forms. "We have seen losses in the thousands of dollars," Daniels said. "People have made mistakes in who they should trust and who they should give information to." Daniels said crimes of violence are increasingly likely when people are under the influence of alcohol. Champaign police crime data shows that the area near the University of Illinois campus south of University Avenue, north of Gregory Drive, east of the railroad tracks and west of Sixth Street is where most property crimes and crimes of violence occurred between April 1 and June 8 this year. UI police statistics collected for all of last school year on specific serious crimes, including robbery, rape and assault and battery, show that most such crimes are reported in the Champaign area between University Avenue and Daniel Street and between Third and Wright streets. UI police Assistant Chief Krystal Fitzpatrick said personal safety requires people to follow good practices as well as proactive work by the police. "It's got to be a partnership," Fitzpatrick said. People who make mistakes, like becoming intoxicated or walking alone late at night in poorly lighted, less-traveled areas, are more likely to become crime victims, she said. Urbana police data shows that serious crime in that city was down more than 14 percent for the first five months of 2005. That includes 28 robberies, down from 32; 138 burglary crimes, down from 167; and 329 assault and battery crimes, down from 503. Urbana Police Chief Eddie Adair said crimes are cyclical and in some crimes, like burglary or robbery, the arrest of a key individual may mean a drop in those crimes. Adair said crime has shifted from northwest to southeast Urbana as high-density housing has developed in that area. High-crime areas are now near East Colorado Avenue and Lierman Avenue, but police are working with citizens and businesses to address those problems, he said. Urbana police Lt. Pat Connolly said the city's Street Crimes Unit and patrol officers have been successful with proactive, problem-solving, community-oriented policing. "The community reports the problems and we try to address them," Connolly said. p |
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