As the number of general thefts in the Penn patrol zone continues to rise, the number of violent crimes has decreased in comparison to this time last year.
Crime totals in the area this January remained steady compared to the same month last year, with 60 crimes reported in both 2007 and 2008.
The January crime totals for 2008 show a general trend away from violent crimes, as the numbers of forcible sex offenses, aggravated assaults, robberies and simple assaults have all decreased.
"We are very pleased to see that violent crime is down across the board for January 2008 compared to January 2007," Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush wrote in an e-mail.
"This decrease is due in part to additional security measures enacted since November 2006, and the Penn community's commitment to being our partners in safety," she wrote.
Rush also attributed the decrease in crime to the rising number of people using the walking and mobile escort services.
However, the January numbers show an increase in general theft to 42 this year from 34 in 2007.
The Division of Public Safety hopes to curb this increase with the recent launch of a theft-awareness campaign to encourage members of the University community to follow "simple safety steps to properly attend to and secure personal items," Rush wrote.
Steps students can take to prevent unattended theft, Rush said, include securing bikes with a lock, not leaving laptops unattended and locking office and residence doors.
