Bonham reports 12 thefts in four months

LINN  — Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham said he has seen about 12 thefts in four months.

“We’re a small, rural community, we’re a small sheriff’s office, but we still face big-city issues,” said Bonham. “The pain in our sides right now is converter thefts.”

Crime stops at nothing, but the Osage County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a recent uptick in several categories, including one that’s especially abnormal.

As of late March, Bonham said crime rates in the county had significantly dropped over the last five years, though there has been an increase in 911 calls. In April in mid-Missouri, Bonham’s office has seen a steady increase in crime rates.

“To date, the only thing we are seeing is an increase in tampering with motor vehicle (converter thefts,)” Bonham said. “What we are seeing as a trend, mainly from 2021-2022, is a slight uptick in domestic assaults (indicative of a national trend), crashes, and calls for service.”

According to USA Facts, more than 5.6 million Americans were in prison, jail, or on probation/parole when counted in 2020. That’s a 13.3% decrease from 2019. Arrests per 100,000 people in 2020 also had their largest yearly decline in 35 years. 

“This simply means that more criminals out on the street,” said Bonham.