INDIANAPOLIS -- < While the robbery rate in Indianapolis is holding steady this year, police credit surveillance systems with curtailing crime and boosting arrests.
The number the arrests in robberies has increased by more than 25 percent from the same time last year, while bank robberies have dropped substantially, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.
Police attribute both to having more cameras in more places. Statistics show that detectives clear 40 percent of cases with video, but that rate drops to 28 percent for crimes without video.
"Business owners that have good systems in place that can produce identifiable product, we're pretty successful in clearing those cases," said Lt. Bill Lorah.
The owner of the Marathon gas station in the 900 block of North Delaware Street was robbed outside his store Monday, just outside the range of his multiple security cameras. A nearby business had a camera pointing that way, but police said it may not be enough.
"What's sad about this is that he's owned this (business) for 30 years and is retiring. He just sold it. He's got two weeks left," said Detective Bill Cincebox.
Last week, Indianapolis police debuted a new Facebook.com site with links to YouTube videos featuring unsolved crimes.
If the bank robbery rate continues to hold through the year, it will have dropped by nearly 25 percent this year.
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