Police Chief Evan Bray delivered some sobering news earlier this week at a board of police commissioners meeting.

Bray said that with two months remaining in the 2021 calendar year, the amount of overdoses will be a record high. “Our strategic area notified us last week we were at the same number of overall fatal overdoses that we experienced all year last year.”

Last year there were 111 fatal overdoses in the city.

Some other numbers that were released at the meeting last week show that auto theft is up 14% from this time last year. Bray says a part of that increase is because there are more cars available to be stolen as compared to last year with many people remaining at home due to COVID-19.  Bray noted “As the world opens up you drive by the Southland Mall, the parking lot is absolutely packed with vehicles, that potentially means it packed with opportunity for someone looking to steal from or steal a vehicle.”

It’s more than just people leaving their keys in the vehicle Bray says. “I think it’s more about crimes of opportunity, keys in the running vehicle tend to be an issue during the colder weather. ”