Overall crime in the Penn patrol zone increased by 10 percent over the past year, but the biggest jump was seen in thefts, rather than violent offenses.
One thousand crimes were reported in the area in 2007, 540 of which were general thefts, up from 2006's count of 468 thefts. In 2006, 908 total crimes were reported.
Homicides, forcible sex offenses and simple assaults all also increased in 2007, compared to 2006.
The number of robberies, burglaries, aggravated assaults and bike thefts all declined slightly last year.
Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said she sees theft of unattended property, which she cited as largely responsible for the increase in general theft, as the biggest problem facing the area.
In response to this problem, the Division of Public Safety is about to launch a theft-awareness campaign with student leaders to help reduce incidences of unattended theft.
"The formula for crime is motive plus opportunity and we can never take motive away, but we can, as a community, change where people commit crimes," Rush said. "The unattended-theft campaign takes away opportunity."
Forcible sex offenses went up from 10 in 2006 to 17 last year. Rush pointed out, however, that sex crimes are generally under-reported and that these figures might not indicate an actual rise in the number of sex offenses.
It's possible that the rise occurred because more sex offenses were reported to police, she said.
All of the sex offenses with the exception of the sexual assault on Spruce Street in November were acquaintance rape, according to Rush.
Simple assaults also increased last year, up to 32 from 21 in 2006. Most of these incidents did not involve Penn students, Rush said.
She explained that because most assaults are caused by personal problems, it is hard for police to prevent them, but that they can mitigate the assaults once they occur.
Rush attributed the decreases in robberies, burglaries and aggravated assaults to an influx of police officers on the streets, which she said was made possible by adding 1,000 hours of overtime for police, and changes in AlliedBarton deployment.
Rush also credited students' increased use of walking escorts, saying, "students are taking responsibility for their own safety."
Bike thefts also decreased from 116 in 2006 to 104 last year. Rush attributed this to a bike-registration campaign in connection with Campus Express.
There was one more homicide last year than in 2006. All three homicides, which included a carjacking in April and fall shootings at Koko Bongo and Club Wizzards, involved police shootings.
DPS is working with the Liquor Control Board on a nuisance task force, which looks at establishments that are creating disturbances. Koko Bongo and Club Wizzards - recently re-opened under the name Club Atlantis--- are getting special attention.
