Crime is down, but for robbery
Hub police cite a rise in thefts of cellphones
While violent crime has dipped slightly in Boston this year, robberies have risen significantly, mostly because of a rash of stolen Sidekicks, cellphones popular with teenagers and college students, police said yesterday. Robberies were up 7 percent citywide to 2,289 through midmonth, while homicides and shootings fell.
It was the only crime category citywide that increased, and police said they will concentrate on reversing that.
"That's where we really need to put our focus," Superintendent in Chief Robert Dunford said during a meeting yesterday of command staff at police headquarters. "We really need to put pressure on what's causing these robberies."
Police believe the increase is not related to the worsening economy, but to the popularity of the phones, the large number of students on the streets after school lets out, and the bustling crowds around Downtown Crossing and Boston Common.
But Dunford cautioned that the sour economy could lead to other types of problems, including aggressive behavior from people anxious about their jobs or savings. Those angry about the bleak financial climate could lash out at the more vulnerable members of society, he said. "People may want to take out their frustrations on the immigrant community or anyone else they feel is different," Dunford said.
Commissioner Edward F. Davis had set a goal at the beginning of 2008 to reduce major crimes like homicide, aggravated assault, rape, larceny, burglary, and robbery by 10 percent. Overall, the total number of these crimes is down 9 percent through Dec. 15, compared with the same time last year.
There were 60 homicides through Dec. 15, compared with 64 at that time last year, and shootings were down from 315 to 310, according to statistics provided during the meeting.
Aggravated assaults were down 8 percent to about 3,800.
Police are hoping to curb theft by increasing patrols in "robbery hot spots" like Boston Common and Downtown Crossing, Eagle Hill in East Boston, and around Madison Park, Roxbury Crossing, and Grove Hall in Roxbury. In December, almost half of the perpetrators showed a firearm or said they had a gun when robbing their victims, Dunford said.
Some robbery victims have been homeless and were robbed by other homeless people. Other victims have been Latinos in East Boston who know their assailant, police said, but are nervous about testifying against the robbers, usually other Latinos whom they see regularly in the neighborhood.
A large number of the robberies occur after teenagers get out of school, and officials are worried that theft could keep rising after the holidays, when more students are likely to be texting on Sidekicks they received as Christmas gifts.
Police plan to send out warnings to students through fliers. They already have their message ready.
Officials recently asked high school students to come up with a flier warning against Sidekick thefts. The winner, a 10th-grader at Boston Arts Academy, drew a hand firmly gripping a black Sidekick.
"Hold on tight 2 ur kick," is written boldly in black letters over a green background. The flier warns people to hide their laptops, cellphones, and iPods in public.
Police plan also to ask the MBTA to let them advertise the warning on buses and trains, said Elaine Driscoll, spokeswoman for the Boston Police Department.
Maria Cramer can be reached at mcramer@globe.com. 