Berkeley suffering from local crime increase?

While the Berkeley community has never been a stranger to crime, it seems that as of lately, crime has moved beyond the occasional flashing. Late Sunday afternoon, the year’s first (and probably not last) homicide occurred in Berkeley. This violent crime comes on the heels of a noticable increase in bank robberies, assaults, and other violent crimes in the last few months. In fact, Berkeley has been host to an unusual amount of crime since May, when there was an unusual high number of assaults and robberies victimizing students just before finals began.

Some of Berkeley's annual crime statistics can be found here. While I have not had time to double-check other statistics, I know that there has been one homicide, meeting our quota for the year already. With five months left in the year, somehow I doubt that that number will hold.

Because the current increase in crime has been over such a short time, its source is still unknown. It could be cyclical, a result of a still-struggling economy, spillover from Oakland, or any number of reasons. Or, it could even be the result of a sensational media covering more crime in Berkeley than usual. But, it does mean that students in the area should be on extra alert. Being a crime victim can be prevented through a number of different measures, most of which being common sense. The UCPD provides safety and security tips on their website.
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