2003 Crime Drops to 22-Year Low
Crimes committed in the Village last year
dropped to the lowest level in 22 years, a trend police
attribute to increased citizen involvement and a growing
willingness of residents to report suspicious activities.
Some 2,389 crimes were committed in Oak
Park during 2003, compared to 2,554 in 2002, a 6.5 percent
decrease, and the fewest since 1981, the earliest year for
which comparable data is available. The 2003 statistics
represent the continuation of a downward trend especially
evident over the past 12 years.
The decrease in crime was attributed in
large part to the cooperative spirit of citizens. An alert
citizen can often stop a crime and help police catch a criminal
in the act. That's why police urge citizens not hesitate
to call 9-1-1 when they encounter suspicious people or
incidents.
Burglaries and thefts, which police
consider crimes of opportunity, represented about 85 percent of
all 2003 crimes. Thieves mostly targeted garages --
often unlocked or open -- and took personal items left
unattended or inside vehicles.
Police say by taking a few simple steps
like closing and locking garages, removing personal property
from plain view in autos and not leaving personal items
unattended can do wonders to reduce the crimes of opportunity
that represent the vast majority of criminal activity in the
community.
Here's a brief overview of the 2003
crime statistics:
• Burglaries
dropped to 501 in 2003, as compared to 541 in 2002. Burglary
arrests were up. Sixty-four individuals were arrested in 2003
compared to 62 in 2002. The vast majority of burglaries in Oak
Park continued to be to garages and autos.
• Thefts
were down in 2003, totaling 1,509 compared to the previous
year's 1,575 incidents. Arrests for theft increased to
320 in 2003, up from 316 in 2002. Most thefts in Oak Park are
petty, including bicycles, license plates and retail
shoplifting.
• Two
murders were committed in 2003, compared to none in 2002. One
murder was committed during a burglary, and the defendant is
awaiting trial. The other murder was a Chicago gang/drug
related, drive-by shooting that occurred on the Oak Park side
of Roosevelt Road, but was unrelated to the Village or any
resident.
• Arsons
declined to three as compared to the previous year's
seven cases. No arson arrests were made in 2002 or 2003.
• Motor
vehicle thefts were down in 2003, totaling 169 as compared to
218 in 2002. Arrests for motor vehicle theft also were down,
totaling 16 in 2003, compared to 21 in 2002.
• Nine
criminal sexual assaults were reported in 2003, up from five in
2002. However, typically in these types of cases the victim
knows the assailant. Arrests in this category were up as well,
from four in 2002 to seven in 2003.
• Robberies
decreased to 174 in 2003 from the previous year's 180, a
drop police attribute in part to enhanced police patrols, the
creation of the newly formed Street Crimes Team whose mission
is to suppress crime through proactive law enforcement tactics,
and the efforts of an involved citizenry. Arrests for robberies
also were down, totaling 99 in 2003 as compared to 133 in 2002.
• Aggravated
assault/battery incidents declined to 22 in 2003, compared to
28 in 2002. Thirty individuals were arrested in this category
during 2003, compared to 29 in the prior year.
• Drug-related
arrests increased overall to 156 in 2003, as compared to the
previous year's 106 arrests. Arrests for possession of
cannabis grew to 56 from the previous year's 44 and
arrests for possession of controlled substances grew to 43 from
19. Arrests for possession of hypodermic syringes decreased to
17 in 2003 from 20 in 2002, and arrests for possession of drug
paraphernalia increased to 40 from the previous year's
23.
For more information on crime in Oak Park
or community policing programs, call 386.3800 or email police@oak-park.us.
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