Darien Thefts Way Down, Assaults Up: Police

DARIEN, IL – Darien saw an increase in assaults and batteries in 2023, but a drop in property crimes, according to the police department's annual report.

The data show that 137 assaults and batteries occurred last year, up from 117 in 2022 and 107 in 2021.

More than half of the incidents – 73 – involved domestic disturbances, police said. Another 13 were situations of harassment.

Of the 137 cases, 39 percent were cleared by arrest.

According to the report, property crimes fell by 18 percent in 2023. A total of 387 such crimes were reported. The number has been dropping over the last four years, with a high of 745 in 2020.

Theft was a major category that saw a decrease, falling to 134, from 223 a year earlier. About 40 percent were retail thefts, with most taking place at the local Walmart.

Led by identity theft, police saw a 9 percent increase in fraud reports, to 153 cases, the report said.

At Monday's City Council meeting, Police Chief Greg Thomas showed a chart demonstrating an overall drop in crime.

"It's a downward trend," he said. "That's what we hope to see, and that's what we have been seeing for quite some time."

Traffic crashes stayed flat in 2023, at 334, two fewer than the previous year. One person died in a crash, police said.

The intersection of Cass Avenue and 75th Street continues to lead with the most local crashes. Thirty-one occurred in 2023, down from 47 the previous year.