Columbia burglary rate down for the year
A report submitted to the FBI shows data for January and February.
Published April 23, 2009
The number of burglaries in Columbia is down from the first months of last year.
so far this year, according to the 2009 Uniform Crime Report.
The Columbia Police Department reported the numbers in its Uniform Crime Report, which is submitted to the FBI by police departments and contains categorical totals of crimes reported.
Last year, burglaries had increased by about 40 percent compared with 2007.
Although the most recent information isn't available until the Missouri State Highway Patrol publishes the report for March and April, Columbia Police Department Sgt. Ken Hammond said he thinks burglaries have decreased so far in 2009, but that it might not be indicative of a larger trend.
"It's really too early in the year to see any kind of a set pattern," Hammond said.
Hammond supervises the Major Crimes Unit, which is part of the department's Investigative Division, which investigates burglaries.
Hammond said burglary is a sporadic crime, in that commission of the offenses comes in spurts.
"If you catch a burglar, you've probably just solved a string of burglaries," Hammond said. "Burglary is a serial crime. Most people are not a one-time burglar."
The legal definition of burglary is the act of breaking and entering into a building with the intent to commit a felony.
Hammond said burglary is considered a property crime, as opposed to a persons or a violent crime, but the two can be very close in the case of burglary.
"There's a very fine line between first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary," Hammond said. "First-degree burglary is when there's still people present, but the threat is not towards the people."
Hammond said that there is no profile for a burglary suspect.
"There really is no typical burglar," he said.
Detectives in the Major Crimes Unit typically have an average of approximately 100 cases they are actively investigating at one time, but Hammond said in the case of burglaries, investigations can last up to a year.
"Nowadays, a lot of DNA is being collected," Hammond said.
He said collecting DNA evidence at burglary scenes has added time to the department's investigations.
Hammond said the DNA is sent to the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Jefferson City for analysis, and identifying a suspect can take time because the department must wait for a positive match to be made through the federal DNA index system.
"We'll get leads on burglary and property crimes up to a year later," Hammond said.
Hammond also said violent crimes, including home invasion robberies, have decreased.