CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Burglaries in Corvallis, Oregon’s 10th-largest city, are up by nearly 50 percent in the first five months of 2011 and local police blame the struggling economy.
In the first five months of 2010, Corvallis police responded to 53 reports of burglaries.
This year, they’ve responded to 78 burglary complaints between January and the end of May. That’s a jump of 47 percent.
Corvallis police spokesman Cord Wood says local police expect to see increases in property crime as the economy continues to struggle.
Many of the burglaries are crimes of opportunity, Wood said — only five reported burglaries in May included forced entry.