Criminal reports increase in Columbia Basin

by Candice Boutilier<br>Herald Staff Writer
| July 21, 2008 9:00 PM

State compiles crime statistics

COLUMBIA BASIN - The majority of Columbia Basin law enforcement agencies reported increases in various crimes taking place in 2007.

The statistical information provided by the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs (WASPC) was recently released and provides a comparison between crimes reported in 2006 and one reported in 2007.

The information features the number of criminal offenses, violent crimes and property crimes reported per year. Categories include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, arson, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft.

Adams County

Sheriff's Office

There was an 8.1 percent increase in documented criminal offenses in Adams County in 2007 with 320 incidents reported, according to WASPC.

There was a slight increase in reported violence crimes. Adams County Undersheriff John Hunt said most of the assaults reported are domestic violence-related.

Property crimes increased by 8.6 percent and Hunt said to combat the trend, deputies conduct special emphasis patrols and attention to those crimes.

Adams County crime statistics:

Murders increased with one reported in 2007.

Rapes increased 100 percent with six reported.

Aggravated assault decreased by 41.7 percent with seven reported.

Property crimes increased 8.6 percent in 2007.

Arson increased 133 percent with seven reported.

Robberies doubled with two reported.

Burglaries increased by 3.6 percent with 87 reported.

Larceny increased by 9.4 percent with 187 cases reported.

Motor vehicle thefts increased 4.5 percent with 23 vehicles reported stolen.

Othello

There was a 34.4 percent increase in criminal offenses reported to the Othello Police Department in 2007.

Othello Police Chief Steve Dunnagan said many reported crimes are cyclic and part of the increase could be due to people being more proactive about reporting crime.

Violent crimes increased by 43.8 percent. The majority of aggravated assaults are domestic violence related, he said.

Othello crime statistics:

One murder was reported in 2006 and again in 2007.

The number of rapes reported decreased by 50 percent, two were reported in 2007.

Aggravated assault increased by 63.6 percent, 18 incidents were reported.

The number of property crimes reported increased by 34.1 percent.

Two arsons were reported in 2006 and again in 2007.

Two robberies were reported in 2007 and none were reported in 2006.

Burglaries increased by 88.5 percent, 147 were reported.

Larceny cases increased by 19.9 percent, 434 cases were reported.

Motor vehicle thefts increased by 70.4 percent, 46 were reported.

Grant County

There was a 10.5 percent decrease in criminal offenses reported to the Grant County Sheriff's Office in 2007.

Violent crimes increased by 21.1 percent. The majority of assaults are domestic violence-related, Grant County Undersheriff John Turley said.

"Domestic violence is always going to be here," he said. "We seem to have the same offenders over and over and over again, and a lot of times, the same victim."

Property crimes decreased partially due to several metal theft suspects being arrested and put into jail, Turley said.

"They're all in prison and soon will get out," he said. "That property crime is going to go back up."

The number of burglaries also decreased. It's possible burglaries declined because less people are reporting them, he mused. Sometimes people are robbed and are too scared to report the incident due to fear of threats and retaliation, he said.

Larceny incidents decreased. Turley said more people are being cautious about protecting their identification and other personal information.

Vehicle thefts are cyclic, he said. For 2008, the thefts are already increasing. Some of the thefts are attributed to gang initiation, organized crime and people looking for a way to find cheap parts.

Grant County crime statistics:

Two murders were reported in 2007 and none in 2006.

Rape increased by 14.3 percent, eight were reported in 2007.

Aggravated assaults increased by 43.2 percent, 63 incidents were reported.

Property crimes decreased by 11.7 percent, 1,653 incidents were reported.

Arson increased by 280 percent, 19 were reported.

Robbery decreased by 35 percent, 13 incidents were reported.

Burglaries decreased by 13.9 percent, 478 were reported.

Larceny decreased by 11.1 percent, 984 cases were reported.

Motor vehicle thefts decreased by 16.5, 172 were reported.

Coulee City

There was a 23.5 percent increase in criminal offenses reported in Coulee City in 2007.

Coulee City crime statistics:

No murders were reported in 2006 or 2007

No rapes were reported in 2006 or 2007.

Two aggravated assaults were reported in 2007 and zero were reported in 2006.

There was an 11.8 percent increase in property crimes.

No arsons were reported in 2007. One was reported in 2006.

No robberies were reported in 2006 or 2007.

There was a 175 percent increase in burglaries, 11 were reported.

There was a 27.3 percent decrease in larceny.

No motor vehicle thefts were reported in 2007. One was reported in 2006.

Ephrata

There was a 2.1 percent increase in criminal offenses reported in Ephrata in 2007.

Ephrata Police Chief Joe Varick said it appears the agency continues to handle a similar emergency call volume as the previous year.

There was an 11.1 percent decrease in violent crimes reported to police. He said the majority of aggravated assaults continue to be domestic violence-related.

Varick said property crimes continue to increase for a variety of reasons, possibly due to drug addicts looking for a way to find money to fund their drug habit. Theft and robbery are directly linked to drug use, he said. Fuel thefts have not increased too much over the past few years. As the economy worsens, there might be an increase in some property crimes, he added.

Ephrata crime statistics:

No murders were reported in 2006 or 2007.

Rape decreased by 71.4 percent, two were reported.

Aggravated assaults increased by 50 percent with 12 incidents were reported in 2007.

Property crimes increased by 2.6 percent.

Arson increased by 33 percent, four were reported.

Robbery decreased by 33.3 percent, two incidents were reported.

Burglaries decreased by 1.7 percent, 117 incidents were reported.

There was a 3 percent increase in larceny cases, 378 incidents were reported.

Motor vehicle thefts increased by 16.7 percent, 21 were reported.

Grand Coulee

There was a 15.8 percent decrease in criminal offenses reported to Grand Coulee police in 2007.

Reported violent crimes increased by 37.5 percent.

Grand Coulee crime statistics:

No murders were reported in 2006 or 2007.

Rape decreased by 75 percent, one was reported.

Aggravated assault increased by 166.7 percent, eight incidents were reported in 2007.

Property crimes decreased by 19.8 percent.

No arsons were reported in 2006 or 2007.

There was a 100 percent increase in robberies, two were reported.

Burglaries decreased by 46.4 percent, 30 were reported.

Larceny increased by 10.4 percent, 53 were reported.

Two motor vehicle thefts were reported in 2006 and again in 2007.

Mattawa

The Mattawa Police Department did not provide statistical information to the association for analysis.

Moses Lake

Criminal offenses reported to Moses Lake police increased by 5.9 percent in 2007.

Moses Lake Police Chief Dean Mitchell said part of the increase is due to the growth of the community and some crimes are cyclic.

There was an 18.8 percent increase in violent crimes. The number of rapes reported doubled. Mitchell said it's possible more rapes are being reported as resources like New Hope are created to help victims.

He said property crimes including burglary, theft and larceny are targeted by the police department. A neighborhood watch program will be reinstated soon and by the end of the year property crime victims will be contacted with program information. Property crimes have increased in the Lakeview Terrace and Peninsula neighborhoods, he added. The areas have a high residential volume.

Moses Lake crime statistics:

No murders were reported in 2007, two were reported in 2006.

The number or rapes doubled in 2007, 24 were reported.

Aggravated assault increased by 11.8 percent, 38 were reported.

Property crimes increased by 5.4 percent.

Arson cases increased 71.4 percent, 12 were reported in 2007.

Robbery decreased by 4.8 percent, 20 incidents were reported.

Burglaries increased by 13.1 percent, 336 were reported.

Larceny increased by 5.8 percent, 1,365 cases were reported.

Motor vehicle thefts decreased by 20.6 percent, 100 incidents were reported.

Quincy

Criminal offenses reported to Quincy police decreased by 24.4 percent in 2007.

Several factors contribute to the crime reduction, Police Chief Bill Gonzales said. Two additional officers were added to the department. Officers are more proactive about crime and are making more arrests leading to jail time. Officers also spend more time collecting information to build cases leading to longer jail time, he added. There are programs aimed at reducing crime in the city and programs aimed at preventing juvenile crime.

Business owners are also doing more to protect themselves from burglaries, Gonzales said.

He said he expects the 2008 criminal statistics to be lower than 2007. Reported crimes are lower now than last year.

Violent crimes decreased by 57.1 percent.

"I believe we're doing a job here as a whole to make it a lot safer for the citizens of our community," Gonzales said.

Quincy crime statistics:

No murders were reported in 2006 or 2007.

Rape increased by 500 percent, six were reported.

Aggravated assaults decreased by 76.6 percent, four were reported.

The number of property crimes decreased by 22.2 percent.

No arsons were reported in 2006 or 2007.

Robberies decreased by 80 percent, two were reported.

Burglaries decreased by 8.7 percent, 115 were reported.

Larceny decreased by 26.4 percent, 195 incidents were reported.

Motor vehicle thefts decreased by 38.9 percent, 22 were reported in 2007.

Royal City

The Royal City Police Department did not provide statistical information to the association in 2006 but they did provide information from 2007.

There were 78 criminal offenses reported in 2007.

Royal City crime statistics:

No murders were reported in 2007.

No rapes were reported.

Eight aggravated assaults were reported.

No arsons were reported.

The reported property crimes included 48 larceny incidents, 15 burglaries and four motor vehicle thefts.

Three burglaries were reported.

Soap Lake

The Soap Lake Police Department reported 12 months worth of statistical information in 2006 and nine months of statistical information in 2007.

Soap Lake crime statistics:

No murders were reported in 2006 or 2007.

No rapes were reported in either year.

The five violent crimes reported in 2007 were all aggravated assaults.

No arsons were reported.

The reported property crimes from 2007 included 41 cases of larceny, 17 burglaries and one motor vehicle theft.

Warden

The Warden Police Department reported statistical information to the association in 2006 but not for 2007.

Warden crime statistics:

No murders were reported in 2006.

Two rapes were reported.

Two aggravated assaults were reported.

The property crimes reported in 2006 included 104 larceny cases, 25 burglaries and 10 motor vehicle thefts.