Story posted Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Crime Rate Takes A Dip In Niles
Crime dropped by 3.3% in Niles from 2007 to 2008.
Crime was down in every category in Niles except a very small increase in aggravated assault and battery cases, according to State of Illinois crime statistics comparing 2007 and 2008.
Theft is far and away the crime committed most often in the village. There were 767 thefts in Niles in 2008, down from 777 in 2007.
The next highest category of crime is burglary where 66 cases were reported in 2008, down from 74 in 2007.
Police Chief Dean Strzelecki said it is hard to stop retail theft saying store employees are on the front lines of that fight. He said the numbers could be misleading, as they do not reflect the severity of a crime.
A full-fledged home invasion would be put in the same burglary category as someone stealing change from inside a car, said Strzelecki. Niles averages about 30 to 35 residential burglaries a year, something his officers watch closely.
"The crime rate is driven by the community," said Strzelecki. Community education has been one of the police department's best defenses against home burglaries. He said the placement of lighting, use of locks and other measures can have a great effect on whether a burglar targets a home or not.
Strzelecki also credited his officers' vigilance and constant observation, even when they are off duty.
Last March Division Cmdr. Dennis McEnerney helped bring down several bank robbers wanted in connection with 10 bank heists in Illinois and Missouri. McEnerney noticed two men circling a TCF Bank on Milwaukee and Mulford in Niles while he was off duty. He followed their car and called for back up. When uniformed officers pulled the car over they found masks and other tools used in bank robberies.
As the men had not committed any crime at that point Niles police could not arrest them but McEnerney shared information on the men with the FBI. Two weeks later a bank was hit in Lincolnwood. Because of McEnerney's information the same men were taken into custody and the FBI later cleared 10 cases all attributed to the two men.
Later this month the FBI will honor McEnerney for his help.
Strzelecki that type of observance and vigilance is common among Niles officers contributing to the low crime rate.
In 2008 Niles had no murders, down from one murder the year before; four criminal sexual assaults down from 12 in 2007; 11 robberies, down from 17 in 2007; 18 aggravated assaults or batteries, up from 13 in 2007; 46 motor vehicle thefts, down from 50 in 2007; and one case of arson up from none in 2007.
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