Birmingham Criminal News: Northern Alabama Saw Property Crime Rate Increase in 2008

Posted on December 16, 2009 by Steven Eversole

The poor economy apparently hasn't increased the nation's crime rate, but Alabama's continues to rise. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), crime nationwide dropped last year, but not in Northern Alabama. Here in Birmingham, where I maintain my criminal defense practice, I find that a percentage of individuals accused of property and theft crimes do so because of money problems; some are falsely accused.Crime in Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Mobile and elsewhere seems to have gotten worse. Burglary and motor vehicle thefts are property crimes.

A recent news article reported that law enforcement officials were not surprised about the latest statistics from the FBI. However, police aren’t particularly happy hearing that property crime in Northwest Alabama increased in 2008. Statistics from the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center's 2008 Crime in Alabama report indicate there were 181,434 property crimes in 2008, compared to 174,802 in 2007 and 164,810 in 2006.

By contrast, the FBI’s report shows that nationwide there were 9.7 million property crimes reported in 2008, about 0.8 percent lower than the 9.8 million reported in 2007.

Tuscumbia Police Chief Tony Logan said the economy has always dictated crime. "With unemployment the highest it's been in years, there are people who are stealing," Logan said. "And with an increasing drug problem and methamphetamine problem, there is more stealing to support that habit; we've all seen an increase in that."

Tuscumbia was the only city Northern Alabama’s five largest cities to see a decline in thefts. There were 161 thefts reported in 2008, compared to 191 in 2007. But Logan said he's worried that the impact of high unemployment will play a bigger role in thefts and burglaries in 2009 than in 2008.


With poor economy, law enforcement officials aren’t surprised, TimesDaily.con, September 27, 2009

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Theft Crime Wave Targeting Birmingham, Alabama

Posted on March 21, 2008 by Steven Eversole

A "rip and run" crime wave is targeting Birmingham, Hoover, Irondale, Moody, Leeds, Vestavia, Pelham, Trussville, Mongomery, Cullman, and the rest of Alabama.  Thieves are targeting expensive mechanical pieces found on cars and trucks.  Catalytic converters are a favorite target for this kind of theft.  The thieves take the metal to scrap yards for quick sale.  The converters are worth about $30 to $50 at scrap yards.  Police say the crime takes less than ten minutes to perpetrate and thieves pose as car owners working on their own cars.  In Hoover, Alabama a major criminal case began when thieves stole catalytic converters from multiple cars on a closed car lot.  Repairs often cost the car owner approximately $1300.  Trucks and SUVs seem to be the most targeted vehicles in Alabama because they sit high off the ground allowing for easy access, but any car is susceptible to the theft. 

Many believe the best solution to stopping this kind of crime is to crack down of scrap yards who pay money for scrap metal.  This is an overreaching approach that does nothing but hurt honest business.  It is similar to blaming guns for crime.  As a criminal defense attorney and lawyer I believe that individual rights are the most precious commodity we have in this country.  When we give up those rights to combat minor inconveniences, such as cooper or metal theft, or even when we give up those rights to combat major areas of concern such as inner city violence, and we ban handgun ownership like the District of Columbia, then you are giving up rights the founders of this country fought and died to obtain, and are disgracing the memory of those who have fought and died since to protect those hard won freedoms. 

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