Thefts in Kent are slowly on the decline but statistics seem staggering

The city of Kent is on pace for an estimated 320 thefts this school year, but the Kent Police Department and Kent State University Police Department aim to bring down the criminal activity while keeping the community safe.

Thefts are slowly on the decline in the city of Kent, however, there was 21 on-campus thefts in just the first week of school, and 46 occurred in the city of Kent from Aug.26 to Oct. 3 of this current semester.

The two police departments use joint jurisdiction to aid and assist each other within the regulated areas. Joint jurisdiction is mutually beneficially for both departments when illegal activity occurs. For example, if a crime occurs between Crain Avenue and Kent Ravenna Road, the campus police and Kent city police have equal authority. Joint Jurisdiction Map

According to police records, theft is slowly declining in the city of Kent, but the numbers might still strike attention to the general public. Kent Police Department Public Record

There are currently 46 reported thefts so far this semester, there was 58 thefts at this time last year, and 60 at this time in 2012. Compared to previous years, thefts have decreased minimally. There were 344 thefts reported during the 2012-2013 school year and 299 during 2013-2014. Kent is on pace to have about 40 thefts a month. The statistics seem staggering, and the citizens of Kent should be aware of what the police are doing to prevent it.

“The majority of things we deal with is of course underage drinking probations, but thefts to me, is a number that’s higher than it should be,” said Community Resource Officer Michquel Penn.

Underage drinking, disorderly conduct and noise violations will most likely always be the most occurring illegal activity on a college campus, and it overshadows the importance of theft and other crimes.

Halloween 

With Halloween approaching, both the Kent Police Department and campus police will work together with numerous other police agencies to ensure citizen safety.

Downtown Kent will celebrate Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 25 this year, and according to police Lt. Jim Prusha, there will be over 100 officers in Kent that day.

“We’ve assigned and broken officers into teams to cover areas and limit illegal activities, including thefts, but also to provide security to the community,” said Prusha.

Looking back at the most recent Halloween festivities that occurred on Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 of last year, out of the 46 arrests by the Kent Police Department, only one was theft; however, there was three thefts reported by the Kent campus police. Disorderly conduct and underage drinking probations were the leading arrests within both police departments.

Handling theft 

Theft is considered a first-degree misdemeanor, a minor offense against the law. The maximum penalty for a theft is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, however, judges rarely use that sentence.

Depending on the seriousness of the offense, the accused could get arrested or written a summons, which is a ticket to appear at the county courthouse. This is in addition to paying restitution to the victim for what was stolen.

The people who are arrested for theft are brought into the police station to complete the booking paperwork. Then the police will determine the person’s bond for release and a court date is issued. A person will receive a lower bond if he or she lives closer to the courthouse, because they have a greater chance of appearing at their court date.

The accused can leave the police station if he or she pays the bond, but if they’re not able to pay, then they’re put in a holding cell. The Kent Police Department is only licensed to hold males in their holding cell, and if a crime happens on a Friday, they can be held until Monday if they can’t pay the bond. The police can’t hold females or juveniles in the holding cells, so the police attempt to reach the parent’s of the accused juvenile; however, if the parent’s aren’t available, then the police will transfer the juvenile to Portage County Juvenile Detention Center until a legal guardian arrives.

Although some reported thefts are difficult to solve, such as something that is stolen out of an unlocked car or a laptop from a house party, “We are pretty decent at catching people who run out of a store with something,” said Prusha. “The majority of the time we are catching people.”

Lt. Prusha gives speeches at apartment complexes around the city of Kent and educates people on what to do when something is stolen. Prusha said he urges people to call quickly if they notice a theft occurring, and to always lock their cars and apartments. He also organizes a neighborhood block watch and assists in setting up alarm systems.

“We are doing some effort in teaching people about theft, and are always looking for more ways,” said Prusha.