20 • THEUNIVERSITYDAILYKANSAN
OFF THE HILL
MUNDAY,AUGUST 18,2003
CRIME
Lawrence car break-ins increasing
Photo illustration by Zach Straus/Kansan
By Kevin Wiggs kwiggs@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
The frequency of car break-ins has increased slightly over the past three years. After a small dip in 2001, the number of automobile break-ins jumped to a reported 1,000 in 2002.
When Brian Eiswirth left his house on a Monday morning last year, his main concern was sitting through yet another hourlong lecture class. But he spotted something unusual when he glanced at his car. His trunk was open. The Chesterfield, Mo., junior went to investigate and discovered he was a victim of a car break-in.
According to the Lawrence Police Department this has been an increasing trend. In the last three years the number of reported thefts from vehicles has gone from 871 in 2000 to 1,000 last year.
"There's no way of stopping it," said Sgt. Mike Pattrick, Lawrence police representative. "We do the best we can, but until you can find a root cause it will continue."
CAUSES
Pattrick, said there was more than one theory about the increase of reported break-ins. The main reason was an increase in Lawrence population, he said.
Lawrence's population was 77,488 in 1998 and rose to 80,098 in 2000. Numbers for 2001 and 2002 are not yet available.
Although the population increased, the Lawrence police staff has not gained as many new members to deal the growth.
In 1999 there were 123 police officers. The police force has grown by two officers despite a more than $3 million increase in the department's budget.
Pattrick said the budget increased because the increase in pay, like cost of living increase and an increase in technology. The department recently added a new
While break-ins are increasing, other crimes are still a higher priority. Patrick said the department did not educate the public and had not planned to. Officers are more concerned with person crimes, such as assault or rape, rather than crimes done to material belongings.
type of radio to police cars and bought new laptop computers.
Total crimes in Lawrence have gone down over the past three years, according to the department's website. Lawrence had 2,548 reported crimes through March. At that rate there will be less than 11,000 crimes in 2003, the lowest number in 3 years.
"We're interested in all crimes," he said. "But this is a 'non-person' crime and most of our effort and resources are spent on 'person' crimes."
Patrick said the police occasionally implemented a burglary task force, but only when a string of crimes might be related.
Most car burglaries are unrelated and done at night under the cover of darkness, he said.
PREVENTION
Ralph Oliver, University of Kansas Public Safety Office representative, said thieves looked for stereo systems and CD collections. He said break-ins were highest at the beginning of semesters when the KU student population increases, and before Christmas, when cars are packed with goodies and thieves can be desperate for money.
Patrick said break-ins did not occur in one area of town. Rather, thieves look for areas that are dimly lit with multiple cars, where spotting a break-in is more difficult.
As car break-in numbers climb, so do sales of car alarm systems.
Clint Offutt, assistant manager of Pro Sound, 500 E. 23rd St., said sales of car alarms had doubled since he started installing alarms three years ago.
"They've increased dramatically," he said. "People want to protect their investment and are more aware that break-ins are common."
CRIME IN LAWRENCE
Offutt said alarms started around $150 and could cost up to
number of thefts from motor vehicle
2000 ... 871
2001 ... 844
2002 ... 1000
2003 (through March) ... 207
Source: www.autonet.org
Source: Lawrencepolice.org
Total reported crimes
in Lawrence
2000 ... 11,955
2001 ... 11,000
2002 ... 11,368
2003 (through March) ... 2,548
Source:Lawrencepolice.org
Source:Lawrencepolice.org
Lawrence Police
$1,500, depending on extra features the buyer wanted.
Department budget
2000 ...$8,810,737
2001 ...$9,431,333
2002 ...$10,113,302
2003 ...$11,193,205
Source: Ed Mullina,
Lawrence Finance Director
"The most basic alarms do the same as the higher-end alarms," he said. "They are added more for convenience than effectiveness."
Extra features include flashing lights, a back-up battery in case the thief cuts the battery to disable the alarm, and internal sirens that make a noise so loud inside the car that it could deafen an intruder. But Offutt warns that if thieves want what is in a car, there isn't much one can do to stop them.
"If he wants it, he'll get it," Offutt said.
The best thing one can do to protect their car is to park in a well-lit area, keep valuables out of sight and lock the doors. Many thieves simply go from car to car seeing if the doors are unlocked, Patrick said.
— Edited by Brandon Baker
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Police department giving more tickets
By Kevin Kampwirth and Carole Guillaume editor@kansan.com Special to the Kansan
Last month, Pat Decico left work at 4:45 p.m. as he always does. As he drove down Naismith Drive, he listened to the radio and kept a steady pace of about 4 mph. Just before he got home, it wasn't his radio he heard anymore, but the wail of a police siren.
The Lenexa junior is one of hundreds of drivers who have been affected by the increased traffic patrols in Lawrence since mid-May.
"It's good that they're trying to regulate the speeding, but sometimes it seemed to get a bit excessive," said Ryan Hanley, a resident on the stretch of road.
The stretch of Naismith Drive from 19th Street to 23rd Street, where the speed limit is 30 mph, is one area where traffic patrols have increased their presence. At the peak of the crackdown in mid-to late-May, police pulled over an average of 10 people per day, according to the Lawrence Police Department.
The city decided last year to form a traffic unit in the police department to deal specifically with moving violations. Lawrence police predict that the traffic unit will increase citations by 50 percent from the amount issued in 2000. By 2005, the department wants the number of tickets to double the number from 2000.
"As drivers begin to see that we're serious about this, speeding will go,"said Sgt. Mike Patrick of the Lawrence Police Department. "The unit will
TRAFFIC PATROLS
The unit was paid for by a federal grant, which goes until October 2005, and is expected to cost $996,815 in its first year. This sum includes, among other things, operating costs, equipment costs totaling $424,103 that includes new police cars and motorcycles, and salary for six officers who each earn about $55,000 a year and a sergeant who earns $75,000. All of the officers in the traffic unit have at least four years of experience in the department.
"It's good that they're trying to regulate the speeding, but sometimes it seemed to get a bit excessive."
Ryan Hanley Lawrence resident
basically be issuing tickets for any type of moving violation that they see."
Although the increase in speeding tickets will cut down on speeding in the area, motorists such as Decicco think the speed traps are out of hand.
"It's kind of ridiculous," he said. "It's not like there's a lot of little kids around. I live in a college town and I get an $85 ticket for going 10 over two blocks from my house."
Although the number of speed traps and tickets written has leveled off since mid-June, the traffic unit is still active.
— Edited by Kevin Wiggs
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