After Forbes magazine published reported that Tallahassee was one of the most dangerous places to live based on the FBI crime statistics reported for the year 2010. This examiner contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) the Leon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) and the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) for crime statistics maintained at their departments pertaining to the FBI: crime reports. TPD and LCSO responded with LCSO offering a copy of the crime statistics they submit to FDLE who compiles the reports and sends it to the Federal Buearu of Investigation (FBI). However, an administrative fee has to be paid in order to obtain copies of what is "public information". After contacting Leon County Sheriff Campbell about the fee, it was waived and a copy was picked up at the LCSO. Based on a careful examination of the local crime statistics, an article was published in October in the examiner:
http://www.examiner.com/crime-in-tallahassee/updated-crime-stats-for-leo...
Bottom line is that overall crime in Tallahassee is on the increase with property crimes off the charts compared to the same period last year. The good news is that violet crimes has decreased slightly. Both TPD and LCSO have put priorities on the prevention of property crimes by increasing neighborhood patrols, educating the citizens and business owners in crime prevention and sending out news releases through crime stoppers and other media sources.
It is anticipated due to increased unemployment in the area that property crimes will continue to increase especially during the upcoming holiday season. Theft of copper has caused the statistics to escalate and one recent theft forced a business to close due to the expense of replacing its air conditioners that were damaged for the copper coils inside. Construction firms have taken extra measures to protect copper wiring from being stolen at their work sites.
Two most recent property crimes have occurred this past week that are typical of the types of property crimes contained in the FBI statistics:
http://www.examiner.com/crime-in-tallahassee/florida-state-football-play...
Both property crimes involved property that was not secured and in one case, the theft actual stated that the owner deserved to have it stolen because it was not secured. This appears to be the attitude and MO of those looking to steal any property that is for the taking. An open car door or an unlocked apartment is an invitation to thieves to relieve the owner of his/her property. All potential burglars and robbers know that clerks and bank tellers are instructed to just give them what they want and be put in harm’s way. Tallahassee has experienced more bank robberies this past year than in years past because it is easy with no expected resistence except the surveillance cameras. This trend is expected to continue in Tallahassee.
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