Crime up 4 percent for February

Total crime in the Penn patrol zone was 4 percent higher in February as compared with that month last year, Division of Public Safety officials said.

Fifty-seven crimes occurred in February 2007, up from 54 in 2006.

The year-to-date crime total for 2007 stands at 116; in January and February of 2006, 112 crimes were committed.

Aggravated assault, auto theft and bike theft decreased compared to February of last year, while robbery, simple assault, burglary and theft were up.

For DPS officials, increases in crimes that directly endanger victims, such as robbery and assault, are the greatest causes for concern.

"Crimes against persons are always our highest priority," Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said.

She added that the high number of random attacks is particularly troubling.

"The thing we're concerned about is the unprovoked attacks on civilians," she said. "That's very unfortunate and certainly unacceptable."

Rush said these attacks are worrying because they are difficult to prevent.

"There's no way for an officer to anticipate that someone is going to walk up and punch a professor in the face," she said.

Five of the 10 assaults in February were random attacks on civilians in which no money was stolen.

Rush urged students and staff to use "street smarts," especially when walking at night, advising them to be aware of their surroundings, travel in groups and be proactive if a situation seems suspicious.

A summary of crime statistics for the month:

n Robberies rose from one in February last year to four this year. Juvenile suspects have been arrested in two of the cases.

n Aggravated assaults - assaults that result in serious injury or involve a weapon - fell from five last year to zero this February.

n Simple assaults increased from three to 10. Four of the assaults were attacks on police officers or security guards, and arrests have been made in all of those cases. An arrest was also made in a domestic disturbance. DPS officials are continuing to work with the Philadelphia Police on the other five cases.

n Thefts rose from 32 to 34.

n Burglaries were up from one to two.

n Auto thefts dropped from two to zero, and bike thefts fell from three to one.

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