Crime data show decreases in city, county in 2016

Cape Girardeau crime decreased in nearly every statistical category from 2015 to 2016, according to Missouri uniform crime reports.

“The decrease in UCR crime data is a testament to the results that can occur when police and community partner together to make our neighborhoods safer,” police chief Wes Blair wrote in a series of text messages to the Southeast Missourian.

Cape Girardeau saw significant decreases in these crimes:

• Thefts, from 1,538 in 2015 to 1,221 in 2016;
• Motor vehicle thefts, from 102 in 2015 to 64 in 2016;
• Property crimes, from 1,963 in 2015 to 1,504 in 2016.

"Proactive patrol, community outreach and building relationships with the citizens of Cape all contribute to lowering the crime rate," police officer Richard McCall wrote in an email.

In other data comparing 2015 to 2016 in the city:

• Rapes decreased from 19 to 10.
• Burglaries decreased from 313 to 213.
• Robberies decreased from 62 to 50.
• Total violent crime went down from 210 to 207.

Blair and McCall mentioned increased cooperation from community witnesses led to the decrease in crime.

"Solving all five of our fatal shootings this year wouldn't have happened without relationship building with the community," Blair wrote.

"Additionally when citizens see officers as friends, they are more likely to have faith in the fact that we want the same results as they do. That leads to increased willingness to tell us things they've seen in their neighborhoods because they know we will act on the information," he added.

"That has been key in solving a lot of crimes and hopefully sends a message to criminals that the community isn't going to look the other way."

Homicides were one of two categories where Cape Girardeau saw an increase, from two criminal homicides in 2015 to four criminal homicides and one negligent homicide in 2016.

Cape Girardeau police officers and other members of the Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Major Case Squad have made an arrest in each homicide, and each investigation included several witnesses.

The figures do not include a first-degree murder charge and an arrest warrant being filed against Terrance Bernard Vance, 30, of Cape Girardeau in the shooting death of Anthony Hempstead from June 2014.

Cape Girardeau County statistics also showed a corresponding decrease with the Cape Girardeau numbers.

In Cape Girardeau County:

• Thefts dropped from 1,938 in 2015 to 1,532 in 2016.
• Motor vehicle thefts decreased from 146 to 86.
• Property crimes decreased from 2,578 to 1,923.
• Rapes decreased from 30 to 17.
• Burglaries decreased from 484 to 299.
• Robberies decreased from 65 to 56.

Aggravated assaults also increased in Cape Girardeau from 127 in 2015 to 143 in 2016.

Aggravated assaults do not include domestic assaults, which increased from 316 in 2015 to 347 in 2016.

The data does not include drug-related crimes.

Cape Girardeau County saw an increase in filed felony cases from 767 cases in the 2015 fiscal year to 837 cases in the 2016 fiscal year.

The most common offenses in Missouri, according to the Missouri Department of Corrections 2015 annual report, are distribution of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance, accounting for about 2,500 total counts each.

"I can tell you for sure that the number of cases we deal with on criminal docket days has increased very substantially in the 12 years I've been on the circuit bench," Judge Benjamin Lewis wrote in an email. "A lot of that has come in the last two years."

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: 40 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, MO

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Cape Girardeau crime totals

— 2015 2016

Property crimes 1,963 1,504

Violent crimes 210 207

Arson 10 6

Vehicle thefts 102 64

Larceny/thefts 1,538 1,221

Burglaries 313 213

Aggravated assaults 127 143

Robberies 62 50

Rapes 19 10

Manslaughter 0 1

Criminal homicides 2 4

Source: Missouri State Highway Patrol