Jackson police reported 252 major crimes last week, an increase of 5 percent over the previous week, according to statistics (PDF) released at a Jackson Police Department meeting this morning. Property crime totals increased from 204 to 227, an 11 percent jump, while violent crime decreased from 36 to 25, a 30 percent drop.
Precinct 2, which covers West and central Jackson, reported 55 total crimes, the lowest of any precinct this week, and also the greatest percentage decrease from the previous week. Precinct 1, in south Jackson, and Precinct 4, in northeast Jackson, both reported no change in their crime totals from the previous week.
Precinct 3, in northwest Jackson, reported 77 total crimes and the greatest percentage increase, which Commander Eric Wall attributed in part to an outbreak of auto burglaries. Officers arrested a suspect for an auto burglary in progress on Northside Drive, who may have a role in several others in the area, Wall said.
"We're doing a lot, but we've got to do more," Wall told command staff.
Auto burglaries continue to be one of the department's chief headaches. The city saw 92 this week, up from 75 the previous week. During the same week last year, the city had only 52 auto burglaries. Overall, though, crime figures for the year roughly match those from last year.
Chief Tyrone Lewis urged residents not to leave valuables in their cars to discourage would-be burglars. He indicated that auto burglary numbers are high in part because citizens are keeping cell phones, computers and MP3 players in their cars.
"That's not helping us," Lewis said.
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