Property crime in South Tucson continues to be a serious issue, but arrests have been rising with it.
The rate of property crime in South Tucson has risen by nearly 29 percent since 2001, with high arrest rates this year, according to the South Tucson Police Department.
The general term, “property crimes,” refers to a number of offenses ranging from burglary, destruction of property, larceny and vandalism. According to South Tucson Police Lt. Jeff Inorio, shoplifting is by far the most common variety of property crime in the city.
“Year-to-date, we’ve had about 350 shoplifting reports,” said Inorio. “But we’ve had a good closing rate on arrests.”
The majority of shoplifters are caught in the commission of the crime, or shortly thereafter via video security systems in stores. The suspects are often repeat offenders, and the most common items stolen are liquor, shampoo and soap.
“These aren’t kids stealing a pack of gum from the store,” Inorio said. “The soap and shampoo are often easily resold on the street to buy drugs.”
One such victim of shoplifting has been Family Dollar at 2424 S. 6th Avenue, whose entryway now features a message played through speakers for potential shopkeepers upon entering. This message informs shoppers in as pleasant a way as possible that they are being monitored by the store’s security cameras.
According to Inorio, places used to hire off-duty police officers to act as security, a practice that has fallen out of practice since the recession.
Measures have been taken to reduce the rising occurrence of shoplifting in South Tucson, including a zoning restriction that can be imposed by judges upon shoplifters who are caught. This zoning restriction would make it a crime to be in South Tucson’s business district for a certain period after a shoplifter is convicted.
Another, more severe measure allows repeat offenders to be charged with a felony count of aggravated shoplifting if they are caught three or more times. When a suspect is arrested for shoplifting, South Tucson Police detectives look through surveillance footage and descriptions of shoplifters given in older reports for evidence of multiple offenses, according to Inorio.
The South Tucson Police Department also educates the community, with officers giving speeches at the John A. Valenzuela Youth Center and at South Tucson schools about property crime.
One such crime that is on the decline, however, is spray paint-vandalism, better known as “tagging.”
Gloria Hamelitz, 36, has been working at the John A. Valenzuela Youth Center in South Tucson for 10 years. “We’ve never had any incidents of [tagging],” she said. “Teens have a lot of respect for the center. They tend to be our eyes and ears, watching out for the place even when we’re closed.”
Part of the Center’s work, according to Hamelitz, has involved gang and drug prevention education for youths, as well as various cleanup projects in the community.
Jesse Vizzerra, 45, has worked for Jesse’s Pro Tire & Wheel on 6th Avenue for more than two years. Jesse’s Pro Tire & Wheel was tagged a month ago on its southern wall, which hasn’t yet been painted over or cleaned away. According to Vizzerra, it was the first and only incident of graffiti at Jesse’s to date.
Next door, Handyman’s Haven has painted over a 9-month-old tag on its own wall. “The last time we got tagged was about nine months ago,” said General Manager Vianney Saroni. He said that his store has been tagged once every three years for the past 13 years.
There have only been 13 reported cases of tagging this year, according to Inorio. “After a large number of arrests in 2010, the taggings seemed to stop,” he said. “They haven’t been gang-related. They’re usually just kids leaving their mark on property.”
Despite the rise in property crime in the community, the South Tucson Police Department has been working in recent years to reduce it.
“I think the police are doing a really good job,” said Vizzera. “They’re prompt, and I see them everywhere.”
