WPD statistics review shows burglaries and larcenies up

The Wilmington Police Department spent part of Thursday morning crunching numbers in hopes of making our streets safer.

In it’s monthly crime statistics review, lieutenants from each of the city’s six districts presented data analyzing rises and drops in certain types of crimes.

The meeting celebrates successes, like notable arrests, and the challenges the WPD faces. In some districts, burglaries and larcenies were up, in some cases more than double from this year to last.

“Because of the economy, larcenies are really increasing, home burglaries, commercial burglaries, and this shift in crime pattern, we have to respond quickly to re-deploying resources address them,” said Wilmington Police Chief Ralph Evangelous.

Chief Evangelous suggested holding the meetings more frequently going forward, possibly once every week or two weeks to target those specific rises in crimes. Strategies include more plain clothed officers and more unmarked cars.