Property Crimes Increase in Utica
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: August 9, 2012
The Utica Police Department is urging people to lock up their cars.
The police department released crime statistics from the first six months of the year, and while violent crime has dropped 14%, property crimes have skyrocketed. They say motor vehicle break-ins make up most of Utica's property crimes but, they say it's one of the few crimes you can prevent.
"Biggest ones people can actually do something about is when people steal from cars and burglaries. We speak with people who commit these crimes, the 2 biggest things is they see something of value in the car and leaving the car unlocked. If the car is locked and they can't see anything in the car, they'll go to the next car," says Sgt. Steve Hauck, Utica Police Department.
Sgt. Hauck says nearly three-hundred burglaries have been reported - which is forty more than last year. He says there has also been over one-hundred and fifty more larcenies, and seventen more car thefts
The police department released crime statistics from the first six months of the year, and while violent crime has dropped 14%, property crimes have skyrocketed. They say motor vehicle break-ins make up most of Utica's property crimes but, they say it's one of the few crimes you can prevent.
"Biggest ones people can actually do something about is when people steal from cars and burglaries. We speak with people who commit these crimes, the 2 biggest things is they see something of value in the car and leaving the car unlocked. If the car is locked and they can't see anything in the car, they'll go to the next car," says Sgt. Steve Hauck, Utica Police Department.
Sgt. Hauck says nearly three-hundred burglaries have been reported - which is forty more than last year. He says there has also been over one-hundred and fifty more larcenies, and seventen more car thefts
