|
Twelve cars were broken into and ransacked in the South Loop,
causing thousands of dollars worth of damage; the occurrence is
becoming more and more common in the city.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked about the crime issue last week and
said crime is up, but murders are down.
"Violent crime has been coming down, actually, for three years
but in particular over the last year," Pritzker said. "Shootings
and murders have come down significantly. Again, it doesn't make
anyone feel safer to just hear a statistic; it will take some
time, but that is something people should know."
Chicago Police statistics show that even though murders have
decreased, robberies in the city limits are up 25 percent this
year, and car thefts are up 47 percent this year.
The problem of car thefts has led to pushback from police
officials, and John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order
of Police Lodge 7, said that the feeling of safety in the city
has slipped away.
"We are taking suggestions and recommendations on what should be
done because it is getting worse, not better," Catanzara said.
"Violent crime may be down, but the feeling of being less safe
in this city is prevalent."
The problem has been an issue for Mayor Brandon Johnson as a
recent poll by The Illinois Policy Institute's Lincoln Poll
shows Johnson's approval rating is just 28%, while 50% of
Chicago voters disapprove of his actions.
The weekend also saw a man shot in Oakbrook and another man
stabbed in the River North neighborhood.
Since Johnson took office, total crime is up 65 percent, motor
vehicle theft is up 187 percent, and robberies are up 47
percent.
|
|
