By Brenna Angel
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- – New statistics released by the Lexington Division of Police show the economic recession could be contributing to the city's crime rate. Reported crimes increased a little over three percent in 2009.
Lexington Police Chief Ronnie Bastin says that was mainly fueled by a jump in property offenses.
"Obviously when you have the economy that we've been faced with for the period of time that we have, you have people that are unemployed; I would think that there are more people that might be tempted to do things that if employed maybe wouldn't. I don't like to believe that but I think it is true."
Bastin adds that while property crimes are up, more of those cases are being solved.
"Over the last two years the number of arrests that we've made as a division for property-related offenses has more than doubled. We're not standing on the sidelines watching property crimes rise, we're very actively working to keep those as low as we possibly can."
In other crime categories for 2009, Lexington police say the number of homicides, rapes, assaults, and other violent crimes decreased or remained steady.