Crime up 30% in Wilmette

It certainly seemed like the crime rate was rising to me. Now we have more than anecdotal evidence. Wilmette Life:

The Illinois crime rate fell 0.3 percent in 2008, with reports of arson showing the biggest decrease -- by nearly 10 percent -- but total numbers of burglaries, murders and robberies showing increases -- at 4.3 percent, 3.4 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.

The crime rate for all of suburban Cook County rose 1 percent in 2008 from 2007, but statistics for Chicago's individual northern suburbs were mixed.

The number of burglaries reported in Wilmette was five times higher in 2008 than a year earlier, helping that community's crime rate to jump 30 percent.

Theft reports climbed by nearly 50 percent in Glencoe in 2008 from 2007, contributing to the nearly 34 percent rise in that community's crime rate.

Not surprisingly, it's an issue in neighboring Chicago as well.

P.S. The print edition has a chart--Kenilworth is up 39%. With the exception of Winnetka, at 1.8%, the lakeshore communities are hit hardest. Winnetka follows the pattern, though, in thefts, up 27%.