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Several types of crime increased in campus area in latest report
Sharita Forrest, News Editor
(217) 244-1072; slforres@illinois.edu
2/28/2003
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Several types of crimes increased markedly in the University of Illinois reporting district during the Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 2002, period, according to the most recent crime report.
Aggravated
assaults and batteries were up more than 67 percent, to 67 incidents,
from 40 incidents during that period the previous year. The number of
robberies increased as well – to 17 (compared with 11 the previous
year).
Additional athletic events in Champaign-Urbana and a series of attacks
that are believed to have been initiated by two suspects contributed
to the increased number of assaults and robberies during the fall reporting
period, said police Capt. Krystal
Fitzpatrick.
Eleven of the assaults and batteries were related to Illinois or Chicago
Bears football games. In addition, two suspects arrested near the end
of December have been charged with several attacks against Asian women
in the campus area. Since those arrests, no more assaults against Asian
women have been reported.
The rash of assaults was a high priority for university police and campus
administration during the fall semester. Representatives from the university
and the Champaign and Urbana police departments created a team to investigate
and catch those responsible for the attacks. A campus group that included
representatives from the university police, the chancellor’s office,
student affairs and Asian-American Studies met twice weekly to address
the matter.
Several measures were undertaken in response to the crimes, including
increased police patrols in the campus area, expansion of the Safe Rides
service and evaluation and improvement of nighttime lighting in certain
locations on campus. Police safety presentations, e-mail messages and
advertisements in the Daily Illini were used to alert the campus community
and promote safety awareness.
During the Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 2002, reporting period, the number of
criminal sexual assaults reported also rose, by three, with 11 occurrences
versus eight incidents during that time the prior year.
While the majority of the victims of robberies, criminal sexual assaults
and aggravated assaults and batteries were Illinois students, most of
these crimes occurred in the northwest quadrant of the university reporting
district and not on campus. The northwest quadrant of the university
reporting district is an area roughly bounded by University Avenue on
the north, Daniel Street and Gregory Drive on the south, Wright Street
on the east and the railroad tracks east of Neil Street on the west.
Seven of the 11 criminal sexual assaults reported between Sept. 1 and
Dec. 31, 2002, occurred in the northwest quadrant, as did 10 of the
17 robberies. Likewise, nearly half (33) of the 67 aggravated assaults
and batteries occurred in that area.
The majority of the crimes were perpetrated on Fridays, Saturdays and
Sundays between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Males between the ages of 21 and 29 composed the majority of victims,
and most of the crimes were perpetrated by strangers.
Alcohol consumption and drug use may have been a significant contributing
factor in the criminal sexual assaults and aggravated assaults, as many
of the victims and suspects involved had been drinking and/or using
drugs.
Burglaries continued on an upward trend as well with 66 burglaries reported
between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2002, as opposed to 55 during the same
period in 2001. Fifty-one burglaries were reported during that time
in 2000, and 43 occurred during that period in 1999.
Residential burglaries also rose, from 82 to 94 incidents, during the
Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 2002, reporting period.
However, burglaries from motor vehicles declined 34 percent, from 80
the previous year to 53 between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2002.
Burglaries of motor vehicle parts decreased as well, with only one incident
reported during the 2002 period versus three incidents during that period
in 2001.
The number of public indecency and peeping tom cases remained unchanged
over the prior year at four; likewise, the number of home invasions
remained unchanged at two.
