Larceny, burglaries top MU crimes
MUPD Campus Safety and Crime Report follows campus rates.
Published Feb. 12, 2009
On campus and off, police are trying to cut back on property crimes.
MU police Capt. Brian Weimer said larceny was the biggest crime on campus by far.
There were two robberies and 25 burglaries on campus in 2007 according to the MUPD Campus Safety and Crime Report.
Weimer said the department uses different methods to educate the campus community about crime on campus.
"We already do a lot of educational programming," Weimer said.
According to the MUPD Web site, wallets and purses are the most commonly stolen items. There are about 10 to 15 reports a month, and there are many more that are just not reported. The Web site also offers guidelines about what to do if your wallet or purse is stolen
MUPD registers laptops and bicycles for security purposes. Students are also urged not to leave their possessions unattended on campus or in their cars.
Programming is available through the Crime Prevention Unit, Weimer said.
The Columbia Police Department saw reduction in total crime in 2008, but a jump in property crime.
"In '08 there was a reduction in crimes against persons and a big increase in property crimes," CPD Lt. Scott Young said.
There was 27 counts of robbery, 124 counts of larceny motor theft and 144 counts of burglary in November and December of 2008 in Columbia, according to monthly crime briefs from the department.
Young agreed with Weimer, saying the biggest problem for students is theft from cars or apartments.
Young said CPD does not have enough people for preventative programming.
"We'll work at it the best we can, but the funding level we have just isn't going to allow for programs," Young said.
In all of Boone County there were 11 robberies and 237 burglaries, with an average of 20 a month and only three closed. There were 739 larcenies, with an average of 62 a month and only 12 closed, for 2008.
There were no reports of motor vehicle theft on campus in 2007. But there were 28 vehicle thefts reported in Columbia and 47 in Boone County, according to the CPD November and December 2008 monthly crime briefs and the Boone County Sheriff's Department reports.
MUPD had three accounts of rape reported on campus for 2007. CPD reported two cases of rape in November 2008 and four cases in December 2008. In Boone County, there were four cases of rape reported and 14 cases of sexual assault in 2008.
There were 612 accounts of aggravated assault reported in the Boone County Sheriff's Department Statistical Report for 2008. In November and December 2008, there were 33 accounts of aggravated assault reported on the CPD monthly crime briefs. MUPD reported five cases of aggravated assault on campus for 2007.