Crime in Eldersburg 2008-2009
September 29, 2009
Eric Villard

Related links: *A list of crimes in Eldersburg from 2008 to 2009 *A map showing all known crimes in Eldersburg from 2008 to 2009 *Commissioner Zimmer talks with Eldersburg.net about crime in the community *Stay up-to-date: Search for recent crimes using Crimereports.com

Violent crime in Eldersburg has always been a rarity, and this is likely one of the many reasons that so many people choose the quiet suburbia as their home. A quick glance at the list of crimes in Eldersburg for the past two years shows that most of the crime involves nonviolent thefts and shoplifting from area stores.

Ross Dangel, a member of the Freedom Area Citizens’ Council (FACC), explained that some forethought could go a long way in combating this type of crime. “Seventy to 80 percent of crime here is born out of opportunity,” he explained. “The [Carroll County Sheriff’s Department] has maintained, for example, that rates would literally be halved if folks would simply lock their doors and lock their cars.”

The same is true for the county. According to Maryland State Police crime statistics approximately 67 percent of crime is Carroll from theft, followed at a distance with breaking and entering, which comprises about 18 percent of total crime. Violent crimes in the county (rape, murder and assault) make up only about 10 percent of the total. Though much of the crime is not violent, crime in Carroll County did show a small increase, 4.6 percent, from 2007 to 2008.

Dangel said he thought this increase was not anything to worry about. “Carroll’s numbers are so low, it’s not a huge deal whether crime statistics go up or down by a few percentage points, really.”

Eldersburg, however, has not seen the same changes. Over the past few years crime in Eldersburg has decreased. Instead of crime, Eldersburg residents seem to be focused on economic development, especially with the Carroll County Comprehensive Plan in the works and the prospect of new business development along Liberty Rd. including Liberty Exchange, Main Street Eldersburg and renovations on Carrolltown Mall.

Though not all residents are convinced the lower crime rate is anything of note. “I suspect this to have been a statistically insignificant aberration, to be honest,” said Dangel.

Increased development means increased population for the town, and increased population statistically leads to increased crime. Eldersburg, since it is not a municipality, has no police authority of its own and instead relies on the Carroll County Sheriff and Maryland State Police patrols. The state police satellite office, tucked behind the Eldersburg library, serves mainly as an administrative center for officers and is often vacant. County police protection is dependant on area population, with about 1.3 officers for every 1,000 citizens.