The Coles County crime rate rose 6.9 percent from 2004 to 2005, in spite of a 3.1 decrease in state crime, according to Illinois State police data.

There were 1,548 crimes reported to the police in Coles County in 2005, up from 1,448 in 2004.

In Charleston, the total number of index crimes rose from 424 to 587. The vast majority of those crimes were thefts, which were reported 436 times in 2005. That’s more than double of the previous year’s number, 219.

Deputy Chief Mark Jenkins of the Charleston Police Department cites the spike in thefts to a few large car burglary groups that operated in the city that year. The department was eventually able to bring a stop to them.

But car burglaries aren’t the only form of theft that plagues the city.

“We do arrest a fairly high number of shoplifters at local stores,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins noted that some of these thefts can be attributed to the county’s well-documented methamphetamine problem, and that shoplifters will come enter stores looking for cold capsules containing pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in methamphetamine.

“Meth cases continue to be prevalent and I know enforcement of all drug cases it still a priority in this area,” City Mayor John Inyart said.

When asked to speculate as to why thefts have spiked, Jenkins suggests that the economy may play a role.

“Economically, times have been harder, and I think that might have contributed,” Jenkins said.

Despite the increase, Inyart doesn’t believe Eastern students play a significant role in local crime.

“The vast majority of our student population continues to be law abiding respectful neighbors,” Inyart said. “I don’t in any way see them as a burden on our law enforcement.”

Coles County Deputy Sheriff Darrell Cox says that he rarely has to deal with students on the job.

“We don’t see too many students come through the jail here,” Cox said. “When we do, it’s usually alcohol-related.”

Vanessa Smyser, an employee at Rural King on 18th and Lincoln Avenue, says that in spite of the town’s issues, she still enjoys living here.