Plainsboro crime increases more than other area towns

In the Packet area, crime rose marginally, in general.

By: Jeff Milgram
   Crime dropped 4 percent across New Jersey last year and also saw a decline in Montgomery, but rose 25 percent in Plainsboro and marginally in Princeton Borough, Princeton Township, West Windsor and Rocky Hill.
   Law-enforcement officials in Plainsboro and West Windsor pointed to growth as the reason for the increased crime.
   "With that, we and our neighbors have seen (crime) increases," said Plainsboro Police Chief David Lyon. "Considering our population size, Plainsboro is still a safe community.
   Chief Lyon added, "We’ve seen substantial crime reductions for many years. At some point, we realize the trend can change."
   The most dramatic single-category increase in The Packet area, reflected in the 2000 Crime in New Jersey Uniform Crime Report, came in the number of domestic-violence cases in West Windsor and Montgomery. In West Windsor, 11 cases in 1999 grew to 29 incidents in 2000. In Montgomery, domestic-violence incidents rose from 53 to 70 incidents.
   In Montgomery, the overall number of crimes decreased 11 percent, from 269 incidents to 240. That follows a 45-percent increase in the crime rate from 1998 to 1999. The crime rate per 1,000 residents decreased from 18.3 in 1999 to 13.7 in 2000.
   "I’m happy we’re down from ’99," said Montgomery Township Police Lt. Gregory Harkins. "But with growth comes crime."
   West Windsor Police Chief Frank Cox also blamed population growth for the increase in domestic-violence incidents.
   West Windsor is one of several area communities that take part in the Domestic Violence Victim Response Team, in cooperation with Womanspace, having done so since 1999. Patricia Hart, executive director of Womanspace, could not be reached for comment on the statistics.
   West Windsor’s overall crime index increased from 541 to 584, but the crime rate per 1,000 residents dropped from 28.2 to 26.7.
   Chief Cox criticized the state for releasing the statistics to the news media before giving them to the police, who are then asked to comment on the figures without having seen them.
   "It’s absolutely unfair and unprofessional for the state of New Jersey to give out these numbers to the media before giving them to us," he said.
   Increases in violent crimes in Plainsboro — rape, robbery and aggravated assault — pushed the overall crime index from 219 incidents in 1999 to 273 in 2000. Violent crime rose from four to 19 incidents and nonviolent crimes went from 215 to 254 incidents, with burglaries rising from 24 to 41. But the crime rate per 1,000 residents dropped slightly, from 13.9 to 13.5.
   Plainsboro Chief Lyon attributed the increase in burglaries to more than just growth.
   "We’re a mobile society," he said. "Those 41 burglaries weren’t committed by township residents. We have a lot of visitors and unfortunately some of them are of the criminal element. And we’re a wealthy community and with that comes opportunity."
   In Princeton Borough, the crime total increased from 573 incidents to 607, but violent crime decreased by more than half, from 15 incidents in 1999 to seven incidents last year. The crime rate per 1,000 residents in Princeton Borough dropped from 48.5 to 42.7
   Princeton Township also registered a statistically insignificant increase, from 199 total crime incidents in 1999 to 203 in 2000. Violent crimes decreased, from 12 incidents in 1999 to five in 2000.
   The township’s crime rate per 1,000 residents dropped from 14 in 1999 to 12.7 in 2000.
   Law-enforcement leaders in the Princetons could not be reached for comment over the holiday weekend.
   Even little Rocky Hill couldn’t escape an increase in its crime rate. Total crimes reported went from seven in 1999 to 10 — all nonviolent. The crime rate for 1,000 residents was 9.7 in 1999 and 15.1 in 2000. Rocky Hill does not have its own police department; it is served by the State Police.
   The state per-capita crime rate of 31.6 crimes per 1,000 residents represents the lowest rate in more than 30 years, state officials said.
Vic Monaco contributed to this story.