FORT SMITH, Ark. — Since January 2024, 5NEWS has reported on six different robberies in the Fort Smith area.
In March, the First National Bank on Grand Avenue, Zales Jewelry off Phoenix Avenue, and most recently King Tobacco on Towson Avenue were all robbed.
While it may seem like there is an uptick in crime in the Fort Smith area, the Fort Smith police department says the numbers tell a different story.
Aric Mitchell with the Fort Smith Police Department (FSPD) said "This year, we are trending on the same path as we were last year. And that was about a 12% drop from 2022. We had 19 in 2023 for the first three months, and that's exactly where we're at this year."
Mitchell says Fort Smith saw a total of 66 robberies in 2022. In 2023, that total number was 58. Mitchell says the goal is to continue to see that number decrease.
"Every other week we look at our crime stats. We see what may be ticking up and what may be ticking down," said Mitchell.
As for the community, Mitchell says the department has prioritized transparency to help solve cases faster, which Mitchell says could be why we’re seeing a rise in public interest. So much so, that the community reportedly helped police identify the three suspects in the Zales Jewelry robbery.
"We saw that as an opportunity where the public could help us identify those individuals. And thankfully, about a week later, we know who they are and hopefully we'll be bringing them to justice," says Mitchell.
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