Property Crime On The Uptick, Some Violent Crime Rising As Well

BY KELLY WAGNER
Miami University journalism student

Morgan Silinsky wasn’t prepared for what she saw when she walked to her car to make her weekly run to Kroger to get groceries.

Silinsky saw that her car was severely dented and had footprints all over the hood as if someone had been stomping on it.

She was the victim of a property crime, which is on the rise in Oxford, according to a review of Oxford police reports and crime statistics.

Homicide fuel violence increase

Though John Jones, the Oxford Police Department Chief, believes that overall crime is decreasing, he does feel that violent crime is rising fueled in part by separate homicides in both 2015 and 2016.

Homicide is rare in Oxford.

“In Oxford, we had some incidents happen that just have not happened in a long time. For two years in a row, murder... and if you look in the years around it, we don't have that,” Jones said.

According to Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) provided by the FBI, Oxford record any murder or nonnegligent manslaughter for years a murder-suicide at Level 27 apartments in 2015. Just a few months later, the city saw another slaying related to drugs. Denver Hubbard, 56, was fatally stabbed on Jan. 6, 2016 in a mobile home park on College Corner Pike.

“You have to keep in mind, if you look at our crime rates, if we have one big homicide, that is a big jump from years when we haven't had any homicides. Anecdotally, we have had some incidents involving weapons, weapons fired, so it did feel like violent crime was on the rise in 2016,'' the chief added.

Theft reported the most

Jones said that although shoplifting thefts are the most common, thefts from cars increased in 2016 and are on the upswing to date this year.

“I think there has been an upward trend [of theft], and in particular this year, what that is related to is all these thefts from motor vehicles” said Jones.

During the summer and the beginning of fall, OPD dealt with people going into unlocked vehicles and stealing items. Jones said there were a lot of neighborhoods that were hit overnight, leading to more reported cases.

Thefts of vehicles is along rising.

According to OPD’s data, there have been 16 reported motor vehicle theft cases in 2017. That is a 50 percent increase compared to 2012 data.

Violent Crime is still low, but rising

Robbery has risen since 2014 when there five cases were reported. There were seven robberies in 2015. And to date this year, seven people have reported being robbed.

Rape has fluctuated over the last five years, but is currently the highest it has been. In 2012, there were 11 cases reported, three in 2013, but 16 reported so far in 2017 according to OPD’s data.

Change in crime reporting system

Authorities said a change in mandatory reporting of crime statistics may be fueling some of the increases.

The department switched from the UCR to National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) in May of 2016 because NIBRS statistics are more detailed, said Matt Stitzel, the police department's records specialist. NIBRS has more categories and requirements that allow for more accurate criminal analytics than UCR.

Due to this change, the number of total crimes listed is significantly higher than the UCR reports because it accounts each part of a crime committed instead of grouping it as one. Under the UCR, if three crimes were committed in a single act, the most severe was counted. Under NIBRIS, each crime is counted separately when they occur in a single event.

Oxford police Lt. Lara Fening said, “I think inately that crimes that are reported are more problematic because we haven't solved them, we weren't there at the scene to stop it or to catch it and to remedy the situation. So its taxing in many way.

"You don't want (the victim) to think that we weren't around to help them solve a problem,” she added.

Oxford's biggest problems

Alcohol arrests and citations are not included in the crime statistics, which Fening said is among the largest crime issue for Oxford.

“A lot of (thefts) stem from being intoxicated … there could be a correlation,” said Fening.

In the 2016-2017 academic year, there was 528 reported alcohol-related crimes, she said.

City and university police pair up

The Oxford Police and Miami University Police are teaming up to monitor thefts as well as alcohol-related crimes, Fening said..
“University police and Oxford police coincide very well to provide a safe campus and residential area as possible,” said Claire Wagner, Director of Miami University News and Communication.

The Oxford Police Department puts extra officers on duty during times when they anticipate drinking in Uptown will inrease. Officers also pair up with Miami University officers on Saturdays, one of the busiest drinking days.

Efforts to reduce crime

While routine patrolling Oxford streets helps to deter crime, Jones also said they are working on education and prevention program.

Oxford officers will also visit a resident's home or business if asked. They also offer tips for safety on their website.

Oxford Mayor Kate Rousmaniere said she hopes crime will decrease.

“I wish we didn’t have any crime at all,” she said.

As for Silinsky, she is shocked that she is the victim of a property crime, but is glad she reported it to OPD.

“Since I reported it, insurance covered everything and I didn’t have to pay anything for the damage,” she said.

Cover photo: "The Oxford Police Station's main office with a dispatch window. -- Photo By Kelly Wagner

First photo from left: "Lt. Lara Fening working on summarizing the previous week's violation reports. -- Photo by Kelly Wagner

Second photo: "Morgan Silinsky's car with a dented hood that was intentionally vandalized. -- Photo contributed by Morgan Silinsky

Third photo: "Morgan Silinsky's car with several dents after someone stepped on the hood of her car. -- Photo contributed by Morgan Silinsky

Fourth photo: The window of Matt Stitzel's office, who is the Records Specialist at the Oxford Police Department. -- Photo by Kelly Wagner