More assaults and thefts were reported on campus last year than in any of the previous four years, but arrests for assault and theft fell.

Arrests for drug use and alcohol violations, however, increased.

There were more reports of aggravated assault last year than there had been in the previous three years, with 20 cases reported, according to an annual report from the University of Arizona Police Department.

Aggravated assault is defined as an attack by one person upon another with the intent of inflicting severe bodily injury. Four reports of sexual assault and two reports of attempted sexual assault were filed in 2001.

This is twice the number of reports made in 2000 for a crime that often goes unreported. UAPD did not make any arrests in relation to the sexual assaults and attempted sexual assaults, the report stated.

"In some of those cases, the victim did not want to press charges, and in others there simply was not enough evidence to make an arrest," said UAPD Cmdr. Brian Seastone. "You need probable cause and a great deal of evidence to make an arrest."

Seastone also said that by the end of 2002 he expects another increase in sexual assaults, largely due to a string of sexual assaults and rapes that took place late last semester.

Accused rapist James Allen Selby, arrested last week in Colorado, has been charged in some of the campus-area sexual assaults.

One student said she was not fearful for her safety but expressed the need to practice caution when being on campus, especially at night.

"I try to stay aware, but I'm not preoccupied," said Karli Uijter-schout, a psychology junior.

There were also more reports of non-violent crimes like theft and criminal damage last year, far outpacing reports of violent crimes.

There were 786 reports of theft, the most frequently reported crime in 2001.

The last four years have revealed a steady increase in reports of theft, bicycle theft, theft from vehicles and criminal damage while arrests have remained steady, or in some cases have decreased. Seastone pointed out that most of these crimes were crimes of opportunity that had no witnesses, making it difficult to connect anyone with them.

"We are very concerned about the rise in crimes against property, especially bicycle theft," he said. "These are crimes that people can help us prevent and the department is actively working to do just that."

Many students know theft first-hand.

"I am always kind of paranoid that someone will mess with my car, steal the stereo. So I got a detachable face and I hide my calculator," said Aileen Altuna, marketing and business management junior.

The number of arrests in alcohol and drug-related issues increased, while the reports of these incidents, for the most part, decreased last year.

There were 31 more drug-related arrests in 2001 than the previous year and six more reports. Police received 60 fewer reports of alcohol violations and arrested 10 more people on suspicion of alcohol violations.

Seastone gave credit to UAPD's and the community's efforts to educate people on the dangers of drinking. The police have organized a number of educational talks and keep in contact with resident hall liaison officers to fight illegal substance abuse in dormitories, he said. The report, required by a federal law entitled the "Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act," contains statistics detailing reports and arrests that have taken place on campus.

Anyone who wants more information on crime statistics can access the annual report at http://www.uapd.arizona.edu.