DEARBORN—
While many people here feel that crime is on the rise, it has actually remained
steady.

Since 2013,
crime in Dearborn has been relatively level, although there has been an increase
in property crimes.

Police Chief
Ron Haddad said larceny from cars is what drives the numbers up, with a 30
percent increase since 2012. He added that this week items were stolen from four
cars, all of which were unlocked.

In March, overall
crime rates decreased by 74 percent from 696 to 181 incidents, compared to the
same month last year, according to Michigan Incident Crime reports provided by the
Michigan State Police.

“We did a very
aggressive street operation,” Haddad said. “We check our neighborhoods, we check the retail establishments and
we’ve really escalated our preventative patrol.”

Dearborn
resident Zeina, who didn’t want to disclose her last name, said that in the
past four years, she has had two cars— both of which were locked— stolen from
her driveway.

“I don’t feel
safe leaving my car outside again,” Zeina said. “I wake up in the middle of the
night, hoping it’s not my car getting stolen or someone trying to break into my
home.”

Saint Clair
Shores resident Caitlin Genord, who went to Divine Child High School in
Dearborn, said she has witnessed an attack in Dearborn and feels that crime,
especially vandalism and murder, is high in the city.

“Some of the
neighborhoods in Dearborn are sketchy,” said Genord, who added that she hears
about a lot of incidents through friends and the news.

Haddad said
the vast majority of those crimes happen
because people leave their cars unlocked, which is why the department implemented
its “Lock it or Lose it” campaign last week.

Home break-ins
are also an issue. According to Haddad, people leaving their back doors
unlocked, especially in the summer, is the primary reason homes are broken into.
He said 95 percent of home invasions involve unlocked back doors.

According to Haddad,
most crimes occur between 1 and 11 p.m.

He also said the
police department is hitting hard on crimes, especially during Ramadan. During
the holy month, police will have special patrols around places of worship and
community centers.

“It’s important to know that they
should trust the instincts,” Haddad said. “If something doesn’t look right,
call us. If it turns out to be innocent, nothing’s gonna happen.”

Dearborn
Police encourages residents to participate in the Neighborhood Watch Program,
which aims to create alert and safe communities. The watch program states that
possible suspicious or criminal activity may include open or broken windows at
empty houses, unusual heavy traffic to and from a home and someone detaching
parts from vehicles.

“The number one thing that we want our
community to do is to call us if they suspect if something doesn’t look right,”
Haddad said.

To report suspicious activity, call 313-943-3030.
In emergencies, call 911.