Tulsa Police Prepare For Increase In Crime As Businesses Reopen

TULSA, Okla. - Tulsa Police said they saw less crime reported in downtown during the month of April but expect that to change as businesses reopen.

The TPD Impact Team said most of the crimes in downtown are crimes of opportunity and with fewer people out and about, there are fewer opportunities for criminals.

Sergeant Brandon Davis said there have been fewer cars in downtown, but there aren't less people roaming the streets.

"Well it's not really that there is that many more homeless people. It's that there are less non-homeless people intermingled in so you tend to notice the homeless more," said Sergeant Brandon Davis.

Sergeant Davis said April's reported crimes were down 33% compared to last year.

"You don't have patrons parking cars with stuff in it at night and therefor you don't have burglary from vehicle opportunities so those were almost nonexistent," said Davis.

He said shop lifting numbers increased at the beginning of the pandemic, but serious crimes were down.

"The property crimes like robbery, nonexistent the last month and a half at least on my side of our shift," said Davis.

He said with more businesses opening their doors for the first time in almost two months, he expects more reported crimes.

"We'll probably get inundated with crimes reported way after the fact. Unfortunately, they're not impossible to solve, but they are very difficult," said Davis.