LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / August 4, 1999

HAHNVILLE – Crime took a back seat in St. Charles Parish recently. St.Charles Parish Sheriff Greg C. Champagne has reported a 9.1 percent dropin local crime for the second quarter of 1999.

This was compared to the number of crimes at the same time in 1998, April through June, a period usually associated with the end of school and increased juvenile criminal activity.

“I try not to get too excited; we have such a relatively low crime rate to begin with,” Champagne observed.

The biggest drop among property crimes was in auto theft, where 50 incidents in the second quarter of 1998 went to 33 incidents in the second quarter of 1999 – a 33.3 percent improvement.In theft, where 344 incidents were reported in the second quarter of 1998, and 275 incidents were reported during the same period this year.

That’s a 20.1 percent improvement over 1998.Robbery was slashed in half, from 12 incidents in the second quarter of 1998, to six incidents in the same quarter of 1999.

Burglary stayed approximately the same, with 111 incidents in the second quarter of 1998 and 114 incidents in the same quarter of 1999.

Most of the property crimes were committed, Champagne claimed, by a tiny percentage of local juveniles who did petty crimes and were quickly released from custody, only to do more.

However, Champagne stressed, “99.9 percent are good kids.”Murder stayed the same – one incident in each period. Rape was cut in half,from 12 incidents in the second quarter of 1998 to five in 1999. “Andthose are the types of crime against which law enforcement can do little to prevent, except to advise citizens on how to try and avoid those incidents,” the sheriff said.

The only major worsening among crime categories against persons was in assault, which went from 237 incidents in 1998 to 265 incidents in the same quarter of 1999 – a 10.5 percent increase.”Most of that was domestic violence,” Champagne said.

Citizens can do many common-sense things to help them not become a victim of crime, such as locking vehicle and residence doors, not leaving valuables in plain sight and keep an eye out for suspicious activity.

His concern, though, is that with the low crime rate, people become complacent.

“People feel so safe here; I’m flattered,” Champagne said.

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