In Lansing and a growing number of communities, if someone steals from your garage during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, police probably won’t respond in person.
Limiting public interaction, or social distancing, is a growing trend as police agencies across the state pivot to maintain public safety while protecting law enforcement and citizens from the potential spread of coronoavirus.
Lansing Police Chief Daryl Green in a March 12 “coronavirus exposure mitigation” memo said his officers, “until further notice,” won’t respond in person to reports of larceny; property destruction; retail fraud, if a suspect isn’t known or the value of the theft is under $1,000; attempted break-ins or break-ins at unoccupied buildings, including garages or vacant homes; ID theft when the victim isn’t financially harmed and reimbursed by their bank; harassing phone calls or emails; credit card theft if the charges arise outside Lansing and calls of lost property. Reports for those crimes may instead be entered on the city’s website or via phone. Lansing isn’t alone… MLive
