Last year’s crime activity reports are in for the Village of Lake Orion and the results are mixed.
Social crimes like drunk driving, juvenile offenses, narcotic possession and animal complaints are down 12.8 percent from 2007.
Traffic enforcement totals are down, too. Citations are down 44.7 percent and crashes are down nine.
However, person-to-person crimes like robbery, sexual assault and kidnapping are up an average of 24.4 percent.
And property crimes like home invasion, larceny and malicious damage are up an average of 67.6 percent.
But the numbers can be misleading.
Breaking and entering, for example, is up 100 percent from last year, but the number of instances went from zero in 2007 to one in 2008.
‘These increases are very slight increases,? Police Chief Jerry Narsh said.
Tricky numbers aside, fraud and larceny reports are truly rising.
Larceny counts totalled 85 counts, an 84.7 percent increase from 2007’s 46 counts.
And fraud is up a startling 208.3 percent.
Narsh says the current economy takes some of the blame for these increases.
‘As stress inceases so do these crimes,? he said, noting the economy is like a criminal’s stimulus package.
One hurdle the police department’s overcome was the heroin problem creeping into the community.
Narcotics abuse is down ten percent and Narsh says after LOPD arrested those involved in heroin trafficking the vehicle invasion stopped overnight.
‘We will not allow drug dealers to set up shop and make money off someone’s stress,? said Narsh.
He notes community’s involvement fights two thirds of the crime prevention battle.
‘Lake Orion is blessed with a law-abiding and family-oriented community and the numbers reflect that,? he said of the village’s high standards and an unchanging values system.
‘We live in a tremendously safe community.?