Success story aside, crime in the Jersey City Heights on rise

[Chris]

While the New York Avenue Block Association may have witnessed a turnaround in its small corner of the city, the same can't be said for the Jersey City Heights as a whole, at least one resident says.

Ron Clate, who lives on Congress Street, said his tires have been slashed, his home has been "tagged" with spray paint and his bushes have been uprooted. Gangs have moved into the neighborhood, and calls to the police have not fixed the problem, he said.

"Do we have to become vigilantes? Is that what it's going to take?" Clate asked.

Crime statistics for the area appear to back up Clate's claims -- and outrage.

Police data shows a 12.5 percent increase in overall crime in the North District from January to November of last year, compared to the same period in 2007. The North, which has about 60,000 residents, includes the Heights and a portion of Journal Square, according to the Jersey City Police Department Web site.

Robberies, burglaries and larcenies are the driving force behind the spike in crime. Robberies increased 23 percent in the area, which drove up the North District's violent crimes by 15.2 percent. Non-violent crime grew by 11.8 percent, powered by larceny and burglaries, which were up 20 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively.

Police crime stats show there has been a rise in property theft throughout the city -- which Jersey City Police Chief Thomas Comey blamed in part on the economic downturn.
"In desperate financial times, people revert to desperate measures," Comey said.

Burglaries throughout the city jumped 23.4 percent while larcenies increased 8.4 percent. The number of robberies increased slightly, 3.7 percent.

"We took a vow to protect life and property -- in that order," Comey said. "The question is, at what point do you shift assets to prevent violent crime to prevent non-violent crime?"