A big jump in thefts fueled a 10 percent increase in crimes and a 28 percent jump in arrests reported to the FBI in Granite City in 2011.

The bad economy and the increasing use of narcotics led to that jump, Granite City Police Chief Richard E. Miller wrote in the department's annual report for 2011.

"You have some of those drug dealers that are just stealing anything," Miller said.

At the same time, violent crimes were up slightly.

The number of property thefts was up by 101, from 490 in 2010 to 591 in 2011, Miller said. The total number of crimes reported to the FBI was up by 100, from 948 to 1,048.

Police won't be changing how they attack the problem, Miller said.

For crimes like theft, there's only so much the police can do, Miller said. It's up to the public to take action.

"We take tons of auto burglaries where people don't lock their car doors," Miller said. Another good way to prevent thefts is to not leave things out where people can steal them, he said.

"Don't leave anything out, be very mindful of your property," Miller said.

The report also showed a small increase in the number of drug arrests, from 144 in 2010 to 153 in 2011.

However the report showed a shift in drug arrests from cannabis to harder controlled substances. Cannabis arrests dropped from 66 in 2010 to 49 in 2011, while controlled substance arrests increased from 51 in 2010 to 77 in 2011.

Granite City is required to submit a standard list of the "index" crimes of criminal homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated battery, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson to the Illinois State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Program. That program then gives the figures to the FBI.

Contact reporter Jim Merkel at 618-344-0264, ext. 138