Crime is up in Norwalk, sheriff's captain says

City of Norwalk photo

NORWALK – Norwalk sheriff captain Christopher Johnson explained to the city council on Tuesday that crime rates have increased in the city.

Captain Johnson said that grand theft auto rates have decreased since last year by 24%. To continue making progress, he said the sheriff’s department would need assistance from the district attorney.

“We’re making some contacts at the DA’s office to help file some of these smaller cases. They consider Grand Theft Auto a very minor thing, but we consider it a big thing,” Johnson said. “We’re working with them to try to file some of these cases and hold these people accountable.”

Johnson said of three recent homicides, two were solved and the suspects are in custody.

“As for the third one, there’s good workable information,” the sheriff captain said. “No one is in custody yet, but I have confidence that in due time there will be a third person in custody for that third homicide.”

Approximately 31% of the crime in Norwalk are “estes” robberies, and 41% of robberies are random street robberies according to Johnson.

“Estes robberies” are where a person tries to steal an item and threatens or commits violence against others who try to stop him.

In the sheriff department’s efforts to keep guns off the streets, the “guns for gifts” event will be on Oct. 22 at the Norwalk sheriff’s station and hosted by supervisor Janice Hahn.

“There’s a lot of guns out there, and we want to get as many as we can off the street,” Johnson said. “So maybe some gangster will come to Jesus and give up his gun or his mom will find it and give it up for him.”