The majority of crime in Bakersfield is on the rise.
According to newly released statistics, every type of crime except aggravated assault, increased by double percentage points last year.
Police swarmed a southwest Bakersfield neighborhood midday Monday, after people living there reported something suspicious.
"Seen a person pushing a trash can down an alley with, what looked like household items in it," said Sgt. Scott Thatcher, Bakersfield Police Department.
Police collared a man after, they say, he ran and hid on a nearby roof. They say he had broken into a nearby home.
"Found a window and it appears someone broke into a window of a residence and stole many items including some televisions," added Thatcher.
New numbers from the Bakersfield Police Department prove this was no isolated incident.
Burglaries are on the rise, up 15.6 percent last year over 2011.
Larceny and auto theft were also up last year significantly.
The police chief says the state's program to reduce prison overpopulation is partly to blame for putting criminals back on the streets.
"The individuals that are drug users, that have additional issues that are committing petty crimes, burglaries, auto thefts, those types of things, which is the area that we are seeing the most significant increase," said Bakersfield Police Chief Greg Williamson.
Homicides were up almost 89 percent. And, the number of rapes was up almost 44 percent.
Indeed, the only category of crime to drop in Bakersfield last year was aggravated assault.
"We all have interest in these communities, we live here. Our families live here. So it's not for a lack of trying," said Williamson. "It's just how do we get better?
So, we asked Chief Williamson: how do these crime statistics reflect on his department, and he said the problem is not law enforcement's alone.
"We still encourage the community, come forward and report crimes to us," he added.
As 17 News reported over the weekend, there has been a resurgence of Neighborhood Watch programs across the city.
And, officers back in southwest Bakersfield Monday morning stressed, it will take the community to turn the numbers around.
"The more set of eyes we have watching and the more calls we get, the more we're able to make these arrests. And, this was definitely the direct result of someone calling it in," said Thatcher.
The current police academy class includes 31 new cadets.
And, the state recently released $1.2 million for Kern law enforcement agencies to split.
