ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 got a look at a new report that won’t be released until Friday, and it shows Orlando is becoming a safer place.
The Orlando Police Department formed a new burglary task force last year to help cut down the number of home burglaries.
Police said since the task force started, crime is down throughout the city.
Chet Bullock lives in the Park Lake subdivision, near downtown Orlando.
“We’re a real tight neighborhood,” he said.
It was a tight neighborhood that was plagued by a serial burglar this summer.
“It was a real uncomfortable feeling to know that someone was breaking into homes,” he said.
Bullock and other neighbors gave police surveillance video of the burglar.
Orlando police sent their burglary task force to canvass the neighborhood, and officers arrested Scott Lee and charged him with nine burglaries.
“We have a laser focus specifically on residential burglaries, and we definitely have seen a decrease,” said Orlando Police Chief John Mina.
When an uptick in home burglaries is identified, OPD sends in officers to make sure car doors and home doors are locked.
Meanwhile, traffic officers shift their focus on burglars.
Mina said new numbers show residential burglaries have dropped 8 percent citywide.
Mina said focusing on residential burglaries helps make the entire city safer.
“The same people that are doing the burglaries are the same people that are doing robberies and other types of crimes,” He said.
Martin May was caught on camera breaking into hotel rooms on International Drive, police said.
He was linked to more than 30 home burglaries.
Spencer Thomas, 17, was charged with 19 burglaries in Richmond Heights and Carver Shores.
Bullock has noticed more officers in his neighborhood and hopes OPD will keep the burglary task force intact.
“I have noticed the crime has gone down a bit,” he said.
Mina said this year, he will also focus on putting together a robbery task force, since robberies increased slightly from last year.
There was also an increase in sex offenses.
All of the numbers will be released during a news conference Friday, where the chief will outline his priorities for this year.
WFTV
