Winter break crime drops 10% from last year

The decease in incidents reported to University Police may indicate the effectiveness of several new security programs. Crime did not take a holiday from the campus area over break, but fewer incidents were reported to University Police this year than during the last two winter vacations. University Police figures show 81 crimes reported between Friday, December 20 and 4 p.m. on Friday, January 10. One incident was reported after the 4 p.m. cut-off for a pre-Saturday total of 82 crimes. That figure is down 10 percent from the 91 incidents reported during last year's winter break, and is 14 percent lower than the 95 crimes reported two years ago. Though the school year opened with an increase over the usual crime rate, a host of new security measures put in place after College senior Pat Leroy was shot in late September helped stem the tide later in the semester. The decrease in crimes reported over break may be an indication that the safety programs -- including an off-campus patrol squad from Spectaguard -- are working. A breakdown of the total number of winter break incidents by type of crime was not available from University Police at press time. A Daily Pennsylvanian tally, however, counted six auto thefts, eight thefts from autos, seven cases of shoplifting, three burglaries and an additional 26 simple thefts. Two of the six robberies reported to University Police involved firearms, and the remaining four involved the use of force. One of the robberies occurred early Christmas morning at 40th and Market streets. A suspect robbed two individuals at gunpoint, taking $50 in cash before fleeing north on 40th Street, according to University Police Captain John Richardson. Two popular campus retail outlets were also hit with robbery or attempted robbery over break. A male suspect with a simulated weapon took seven compact discs from Vibes Music at 38th and Walnut streets, according to the store's manager. And three male suspects -- attempting to steal several shirts from The Gap at 34th and Walnut streets -- assaulted two store employees. In the ensuing struggle, however, the employees managed to recover the clothing. No injuries were reported. In an assault at St. Mark's Square and Spruce Street last Tuesday, a male suspect struck a female student in the back with an unknown weapon, knocking her to the ground. The suspect then positioned himself on top of the student, who screamed -- causing the suspect to flee. The student was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. University Police arrested three males at 34th and Chestnut streets for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia last Wednesday. No further details were available, but Richardson said the suspects were "probably" not students. There was also a report of ethnic intimidation between a white store manager and Asian vendor outside the Hamilton Village shopping center on 40th Street. According to Richardson, the manager allegedly made a derogatory statement toward Asians during a confrontation with the vendor. And on New Year's Day, a male suspect who was aggressively panhandling outside Wawa Food Market at 38th and Spruce streets was issued a citation for "obstructing the highway." Police then took the man to the Philadelphia Police Department's Southwest Detective Bureau on an outstanding warrant for other charges.