CRIME IN POLK IS AT A 35-YEAR LOW

Violent Crimes on Rise

LAKELAND - Though the crime rate in unincorporated Polk County dropped
in 2006 for the sixth consecutive year, violent crimes are on the
rise, according to statistics reported annually to the Florida
Department of Law Enforcement.

There were 3.02 crimes per 1,000 residents last year, the lowest rate
in 35 years.

The crime rate was down from 3.17 per 1,000 in 2005 and 4.6 per 1,000
in 1971, the first year the crime statistics were compiled.

In 2006, 10,774 total crimes were reported, slightly less than the
10,799 in 2005, statistics show.

But violent crime was up 13 percent - in line with an uptick in
violent crimes nationwide. Polk had 17 homicides last year compared
with nine in 2005.

Along with homicide being an unpredictable crime that's hard to
control, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd has said the number of
homicides in 2005 was "abnormally low."

Usually the agency investigates between 15 and 23 homicides a year,
said Sheriff's Chief W.J. Martin, who heads the agency's criminal
investigation bureau.

There are far fewer homicides today than there were two decades ago
when deaths, many related to illegal drugs, rose throughout the nation.

Robberies in unincorporated Polk were up 46 percent, with 279
robberies committed last year, up from 191 in 2005, statistics show.

A number of last year's robberies include a string of robberies at
Dollar General and Family Dollar stores throughout Polk County.

Many of the one-stop dollar shops were "potentially easy targets"
because cameras weren't present to catch the suspect or prevent the
robberies, Martin said.

"Prevention is the first opportunity to decrease crime," Martin said
Friday. "Having added security to those places decreases the
likelihood of getting robbed."

And about half of the personal robberies were related to criminal
activity, like illegal drugs, Martin said.

Here's a bit of good news:

Nonviolent crimes - like burglaries, larceny and motor vehicle thefts
- - saw a slight decrease of 2 percent last year compared with 2005,
statistics show.

Motor vehicle thefts decreased 11 percent, down to 786 last year
compared with 881 in 2005.