The number of strong-armed robberies in Madison is up this year due to what the Madison Police Department is calling “Apple picking,” but armed robberies are not significantly higher than in any of the past five years.
In response to increased safety concerns, the MPD released five years worth of statistics about armed robberies, which involve a weapon, and strong-armed robberies Wednesday.
According to the release, there have been 24 strong-armed robberies in Madison in 2013 so far, compared to 17 in 2012, eight in 2010 and 19 in 2009. The MPD attributes the uptick to “Apple picking” downtown, which is when a suspect grabs an iPhone or other smart phone out of an individual’s hand.
“The MPD has worked hard to address these crimes, and the volume of cases has dropped,” according to the statement.
There have been 10 armed robberies in Madison in 2013 so far, and the number of these types of crimes has fluctuated between six and 12 over the past five years, according to the release.
The release did mention two “seemingly random,” “particularly concerning” armed robberies that took place in off-campus college housing earlier in September.
