DEARBORN — Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad held a community awareness meeting on Monday, November 4, assuring over 100 residents in attendance that crime rates across the City have slightly dropped, as the department continues to implement stronger enforcement strategies. 

Haddad was joined by Sergeant Donald Armstrong and Corporal Dan Bartok of the department’s Crime Prevention Unit at the St. Katheri Tekakwitha Chatholic Church located on Routanda Drive. 

The department provided residents with the latest statistics on the City’s crime,  which includes homicides, drug offenses, robberies, sexual assaults, auto theft, breaking and entering and destruction of property, labeling them Part A crimes. According to Haddad, year-to-date, those types of crimes have dropped from 5,637 to 5,245 cases, as of October 31.

Haddad explained to residents that the City is divided into eight beats, and they base crime statistics off each section in the City.

Beat 1, which covers the area east of Greenfield Road and north of Paul St., saw a drop from 1,119 crimes to 1,108 crimes. 

But perhaps what was the most surprising news was the significant drop in Beat 2. The area east of Southfield Freeway and north of Michigan Ave includes two shoplifting hot spots, the Walmart-Home Depot shopping plaza and Fairlane Meadows, which houses Best Buy and Target. Crime is down from 1,430 to 1,170 in the area.

Haddad attributes the decline to buckling down on shoplifters with stricter penalties. He said officers are on the lookout for people who appear that they’re not there to spend money based on factors like driving wrecked cars or committing traffic violations. Officers also have been running computer checks on license plates.

Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad.

The remaining beats that saw a slight drop in crimes were;  Beat 3, with 481 to 478–that area is south of Michigan Avenue, east of the Southfield Freeway and north of I-94. Beat 5 saw a decrease from 497 to 485, the area north of Michigan Avenue and west of Outer Drive/Military. 

Beat 6 saw a decrease from 842 to 740. It’s north of Michigan Avenue, west of Outer Drive/Military and west of the Southfield Freeway, and includes Fairlane Town Center. Beat 7 saw a drop from 557 to 528. It’s south of Michigan Avenue and bounded roughly on the east by Military, Village Road and Harding.

Two beats in the City’s west side saw an increase. Beat 4 increased from 248 to 271 crimes–the area is south of I-94 and Michigan Ave.  Beat 8 saw a slight increase from 463 to 465. It’s south of Michigan Avenue, west of the Southfield Freeway. The area includes The Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Co. engineering campus.

The police department explains that specific isolated  incidents may have trickled an increase in crimes in those particular areas, using an example of a man who broke into 40 cars one night.

Not mentioned by the police department however is a recent trend of crimes that has developed within the last month at restaurants along Warren Ave, involving men coming into lounging areas and snatching laptops, Iphones and Ipads. 

Ali Mokahal, owner of Signaure Cafe at the corner of Warren Ave. and Chase Rd., says last month, two men came to his place and stole two laptops from young females who were dinning outside. The two men escaped on foot and jumped into a waiting vehicle around the corner. Mokahal says some of his employees tried to go after the men, but they were armed with guns. 

“We called the police and we explained everything to them, but at that point there was nothing they could do about it,” Mokahal tells The Arab American News. “I’m hearing this has been happening at other restaurants on Warren Ave. too. They go inside with guns and start grabbing any cash, cell phones and laptops they see.”

Mokahal says other business owners have been afraid to go publicly regarding the incidents, because they fear it may affect their revenue. He says he’s always spotting Dearborn Police patrolling the area, but the burglars are usually quick on their feet and have long fled the scene before police arrive.

The department said at the community gathering that they assign patrol officers to each of the eight beats, and they’re supported at any time by two evidence technicians and two canine officers. Also on duty are the east and west border task forces, which each have four officers and a supervisor who target hot spots.