Overall crime down, but violent crime rate
rises
BY CYNTHIA LEE
UCLA Today Staff
The latest annual crime report released by the University of California
Police Department shows that overall crime on campus and in the surrounding
area — both violent and property crimes — fell 9% in 2002
from the previous year’s total. But incidents of aggravated assault
last year doubled, from 16 in 2001 to 32 in 2002, boosting the incident
rate for violent crimes.
“The reality is that in the majority of these assaults, the people
knew each other. These were not random acts. They could have been employee-on-employee
crimes, students or incidents of domestic violence,” said Nancy
Greenstein, community service director for the police department.
Among the other violent crimes reported in 2002 were four rapes, three
of which involved individuals who were acquainted. The fourth involved
a student who testified at a preliminary hearing in June that she was
assaulted by three teenagers who were at UCLA with Carson High School
students touring the campus. The three, who pleaded innocent, have been
ordered to stand trial in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Property crimes in 2002 dropped 10%, from 1,594 in 2001 to 1,440 in
2002. Overall, theft dropped 18%. However, some types of property crime
rose. Burglaries, for example, rose from 181 to 263 in 2002; more than
25% of these crimes took place at or around the medical facilities, to
which many members of the public have access, Greenstein added.
During the summer, police reported a rash of vehicle-related crimes,
including 27 burglaries of vehicles parked in UCLA parking structures
and lots. For the most part, thieves pried into locked vehicles and stole
stereo equipment. Police are focusing this year on educating the public
on reporting suspicious individuals.
Among the crimes that the UCPD investigations bureau helped resolve
last year:
- A hospital employee was kidnapped by her former boyfriend, who battered,
threatened and raped her. After intensive investigation by police, the
suspect turned himself in within a week.
- An 11-week-old infant was brought to the medical center’s ER
with a fractured arm. When hospital personnel detected older skeletal
damage, they tried to take custody of the infant, but parents fled with
the baby, injuring a nurse in the process. A UCPD detective took immediate
action and eight hours later, the child was located and treated; the
parents were arrested.
- UCPD detectives helped recover $32,000 worth of computer equipment
after 63 computers were stolen from a summer cyber-camp that was being
held in Ackerman Union; 62 computers were recovered.
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