Mount Pleasant is always an interesting cross-section of the District, featuring nearly every conceivable demographic and a healthy bit of turnover. So when we get reports of an increase in criminal activity there, we’re sure to pay particular attention — and right now, the neighborhood is experiencing a serious uptick in burglaries.
The problem was first brought up in a post on the Third District police listserv, in which a resident pointed out that a large number of the daily crime reports over the past 30 days indicated a burglary had occurred. Indeed, police service area 301, which includes a bulk of Mount Pleasant, has seen a 97 percent increase in burglaries over the last year, several of them audacious, daytime crimes.
Police say that they are working to reduce the frequency, but explain that since burglars often strike in various parts of town — burglary is up 20 percent city wide so far in 2011 — it’s difficult.
“Recently there were arrests in the Second District and Fourth District for burglaries and the arrestees had committed some burglaries in the Third District,” wrote Lieutenant Micah A. Pate. “Hopefully, in the near future, the Third District’s detectives will be able to close out some of the Third District cases.”
Pate also noted that the department is performing outreach to residents, offering up tips on how to secure homes and public property, an attempt to eliminate problems that the department has historically faced in fighting property crime. Of course, the best course of advice the department can offer when it comes to battling the kind of brazen burglary attempts is to call 911 whenever you see something suspicious.
