Property crime has surged in the Georgetown area during the first three months of 2011 relative to the same period last year.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, property crimes in Ward 2, which includes the university and surrounding neighborhoods, are up 49 percent from last year. Since Jan. 1, Ward 2 has seen 117 cases of burglary — the most common type of crime in the area — and one case of arson. Overall, property crime in the District has increased by 16 percent for the year-to-date.

John Wiebenson, director of operations for the Georgetown Business Improvement District, said that Georgetown has been hit especially hard by office theft and shoplifting.

“It’s more of a snatch-and-grab deal,” he said. “People walk by and see a laptop, and they take it.”

Though Wiebenson said that Georgetown has not experienced as much crime as other areas have, he said the statistics are cause for alarm.

“I think when you look at the numbers there’s always concern,” he said. “I’ve heard some pretty bad stories from other parts of the city,” he said.

Students have felt the effects of this trend as well. The Department of Public Safety reported 42 instances of property crime, including theft, burglary and property destruction, for the first two months of 2011.

Juman Khweis (SFS ’13) said this trend is very concerning.

“I think it’s awful,” Khweis said. “[The statistics] are really startling, and I wonder why it’s happening and what is going to be done

about it.”

DPS officers caution students not to leave property unattended, creating opportunities for thefts.

“For the students at Georgetown, the important thing to take away from this is that nearly all of our property crime involves unattended property,” Associate Director of DPS Joseph Smith wrote in an email. “Students can dramatically reduce property crime on campus by never leaving their valuables unattended in public places, such as their laptops at Lauinger [Library].”

Beyond Georgetown’s gates, the BID is working with law enforcement to inform business owners and residents about the issue.

“Crime in general is really not good and we make every effort to advocate for more coverage. But we also communicate with law enforcement and use some of our resources to prepare our folks as best we can,” Wiebenson said.

Students agree that the best way to avoid becoming a victim of a property crime is to be alert.

“You have to be smart about how you carry yourself,” Khweis said.

Khweis added that she believed his property is safe within the Georgetown community.

“On campus I generally don’t worry. When I need to get up for something I just leave my laptop or my bag and I don’t think anyone will take it,” Khweis said.

Janice Shon (SFS ’11) said that she believes the population of Georgetown is not the source of local crime.

“I would like to think that it’s not people in our community who are committing these crimes,” Shon said.

The original version of this story misidentified Juman Khweis (SFS ’13) as a male.