FoBoBlo

Here’s some sort-of encouraging news from the Hatchet (emphasis added):

This year, total crime in the Police Service Area 207, which encompasses the Foggy Bottom campus, is down by 6 percent from the same time period last year, according to the MPD crime-mapping Web site. The drop has been primarily seen in property crimes like thefts, stolen cars and arson, which are down by 9 percent, according to the MPD crime map. Violent crimes, which include robberies, assaults and sex abuse, are up by 25 percent in the 207 area. Since the beginning of the school year, there have been 10 such crimes, according to crime map data.

While it’s good to know that we’ve all got less of a chance of having our property stolen or set on fire (there’s been a drop in arson? really? we have actual arson rates in FoBo?), it’ s a little disturbing to hear that violent crimes like assault and sex abuse are up a whopping 25%.  I’m sure putting it in terms of percentage probably makes the increase seem more dramatic, since it’s likely a relatively uncommon thing in our neighborhood, but still. 25%? Really?!  I wonder what percentage of that increase the Thurston Perv alone accounts for, not to mention the Hammer-wielding Nutjob.

On a different note — the Hatchet interviewed a panhandler in the area for his views on crime.  His response was that he thought the cops were doing a better job since there were less homeless people on the street.  Is this just some bizarre, lazy journalism, or is it out-of-the-box thinking to find a new angle? I can’t decide.  It’s weird, either way.