Burglaries, break-ins and thefts in Denver are declining more rapidly than other categories of crimes, newly released crime data show.
Property crimes declined by 13.5 percent in the first five months of this year compared with the same period last year. In comparison, “crimes against persons,” which include sexual assaults, homicides and aggravated assaults, declined by 0.2 percent.
The category covering such offenses as drug dealing, criminal mischief and forgery increased by 3.2 percent.
Michael Wagers, a member of a consulting team hired by the city to come up with crime-fighting strategies, said a new emphasis on getting timely crime data to police commanders is helping focus resources.
Police commanders used to meet with the top brass on a monthly basis to go over crime data. Now they meet weekly, and the commanders are expected to come to those meetings armed with strategies to address any crime spikes in their districts.
“It forces you to think of different ways of approaching that crime type,” Wagers said. “You’re constantly readjusting strategies. Over time, if you see certain types of strategies aren’t working, you don’t use them.”
Property crimes have gone up in a few neighborhoods so far this year, but those areas tended to be in high-growth neighborhoods, such as Stapleton, Lowry and Green Valley Ranch.
Of the 78 neighborhoods in the city, only 25 saw an increase in property crimes in the first four months of this year compared with that time frame last year.
The Police Department provided overall city statistics for the first five months, but only four-month benchmarks for individual neighborhoods.
There were 7,318 burglaries in Denver last year. Through May of this year, residents experienced 2,789 burglaries. At that point last year, the city saw 3,183 burglaries.
Some neighborhoods are seeing steep drops. In Capitol Hill, burglaries dropped nearly in half through April, down to 43. All property crimes there dropped from 338 to 283.
“They have caught a couple of prolific burglars,” said Kathi Anderson, president of the Unsinkables, a neighborhood group active in Capitol Hill. “You take one person like that off the street, and it makes a huge difference.”
In Cherry Creek, police started undercover operations to try to drive down a spike in larcenies and thefts last year, said Councilwoman Jeanne Robb.
She said police have been conducting surveillance in Cherry Creek on bait cars with tempting packages inside, waiting to pounce if a criminal tries to break in.
For the first four months of this year, property crimes in Cherry Creek dropped to 162 compared with the 228 logged in the first four months of last year.
“Citizens need to be aware,” Robb said. “None of us want stuff taken, but if we really want to prevent it, don’t leave packages inside cars.”
Staff writer Christopher N. Osher can be reached at 303-820-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com.
