DRUGS, GUNS PUSH ROBBERY UP, POLICE SAY

Metro police think more weapons on the streets and more drug use are two
reasons that robberies in Nashville increased to 2,633 last year from 2,357
the year before.

The 11.7% increase in the number of robberies was disclosed yesterday as
part of year-end crime statistics for 2001.

Statistics were released for homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault,
larceny, car theft and burglary.

Robbery was the only violent crime in which the number of reports
increased, while reports of homicide, rape and aggravated assault
decreased. Reports of larcenies, car thefts and burglaries increased.

Lt. Patrick Taylor, who heads the police robbery unit, said substance abuse
is a significant factor in robberies.

''We are seeing a lot of our robberies are drug-related; it's really quite
a bit,'' Taylor said. The number of robberies that were drug-related was
not immediately available yesterday.

There were 1,857 armed robberies in Metro last year. That's up 7.2% from
1,733 robberies using weapons in 2000. The number of strong-arm robberies
went up by 24% to 776 last year.

Police also are seeing more street-level robberies against individuals,
rather than holdups at convenience stores and other businesses. That number
was not immediately available yesterday.

Most robbers used some sort of weapon, police said. Handguns were used in
slightly more than half the robberies last year. The rest were carried out
with fists, hands, knives and other weapons.

Robbery detectives solved between 60% and 70% of cases, Taylor said.

Police yesterday called attention to the drop in the number of reported
rapes, which they said was the lowest since 1986.

Kelly Foley, intake coordinator at the Rape and Sexual Abuse Center in
Nashville, cautioned, however, that the police figures don't necessarily
show how often rape occurs here.

Foley said rape victims often don't want to report the crime to police.

''Many say that because it can really be a drawn-out procedure, a big
trial, they just want to put it behind them and forget about it and move on
from there,'' Foley said ''Then police and attorneys are never involved.''

Metro police said they're aware that rapes often are not reported.

Lt. Rob White, who heads the Police Department's sex crimes unit, said he
still thinks it's possible fewer rapes are being committed.

Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said rape victims who report the crime to
police don't have to get involved in the prosecution of the case.

''If the victim chooses not to get involved in a prosecution, that's fine,
that's her choice,'' Aaron said. ''But the Police Department can offer
counseling services and support to that victim to help her through the
ordeal.''