Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner and Police Chief Frank Fowler.
/ Katie Corrado
What's going on in the life of a juvenile when they get arrested eight times in four months? And, on eight other occassions police have his name on record for being around or involved in other crimes. That's sixteen police encounters in four months for this kid who is no older than 15. Tonight Syracuse police highlighted this unnamed teen as part of the landscape of break-ins getting a lot of attention. It's fair to say the teen isn't old enough to drive as he kept hitting homes and businesses in the same east side neighborhood.
Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner and Police Chief Frank Fowler invited about 100 community leaders to a presentation about the status of burglaries in Syracuse. It was part public relations push and part plea to the public to better protect their homes and businesses. The data shows Syracuse is doing better than some other cities in terms of keeping burglaries in check. It also acknowledges more needs to be done to cut down on burglaries.
The data shows a third of the break-ins occur at places with unlocked doors and windows. Police have been telling us about this for years. Burglars prefer an easy entry. If your home is more difficult there is a better chance the burglar moves along.
We are fortunate to live and work in one of the safest cities in America. Just look at our neighbors in Rochester to see crime numbers that dwarf Syracuse. Neighbors doing a little more is one piece. Police protecting and investigating is another. Ultimately, doing something to reach that teen with a lengthy rap sheet before barely being old enough to shave, now that would be a long term lasting solution.
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