Feb. crime rates up from last year

Overall crime in February rose by 17.4 percent as compared to last February, according to Division of Public Safety crime statistics.

The percentage is in line with a year-to-date increase in crime, which rose 13.2 percent as compared to the same period last year.

Like this past January, the number of thefts from buildings is on the rise, increasing by 250 percent from February 2009. This has brought the total number of thefts from buildings this year to 63, compared to 22 from the same period last year.

Retail thefts continued to decrease, with a 40 percent drop this February compared to last February.

Violent crime decreased from eight reports in February last year to seven last month, while year-to-date figures show 16 cases each for 2009 and 2010.

Of these, one robbery was reported, along with one aggravated assault and two simple assaults. Aggravated assault, as a category, involves more serious injury than simple assault.

Last February, three cases of robbery and three cases of aggravated assault were reported altogether, bringing the number for both of these types of crime last month marginally down.

Crimes against property have displayed a 23.7 percent increase, with a total of 47 reported incidents this February versus last February’s 38. This is, however, a drop from the 56 cases reported in January 2010.

Two cases of burglary were reported this February, compared to zero in February 2009. Both theft from auto and bike theft have also increased by one case, bringing the number of incidents to seven and two, respectively.

The number of walking escort requests submitted decreased by 15 percent compared to last February, reaching a total of 678 by the end of the month.

DPS spokeswoman Stef Cella explained that though walking escort numbers tend to fluctuate, last month's snow days may have decreased the need for requests since fewer people were on campus.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.