Champaign Police Stepping Up Effort Reduce Property Crimes

The Champaign Police Department is stepping up efforts to combat property crime in the city.

There were over 1200 property crimes in 2016 and police have arrested 222 burglary suspects since 2015.

Property crimes in Champaign have reached a 17-year high, so Champaign Police are trying different tactics to protect citizens.

The city council has allocated $300,000 for a four-officer pilot Property Crimes Unit.

Along with increased patrols, Champaign Police Deputy Chief Troy Daniels says simply educating residents to lock their car will go a long way to preventing crime.

"Oftentimes they’ll have the keys in the car so then we’ll have a stolen vehicle. They may have a garage door opener in the car so now we have the potential of a residential burglary," Daniels said.

The Property Crimes Unit will use software to track stolen goods and use data to spot burglary tendencies.

Daniels asks Champaign residents to call police if something in their neighborhood doesn’t look right.

"Please, if you see something or hear something that makes you uncomfortable, please contact us," Daniels concluded.