With more than 20 armed robberies in Rockford this summer, some patrons of 11th Street businesses say they may start changing their shopping habits.
Business owners along 11th Street say they are working to create a watch group to try and crack down on armed robbers. Some of these robberies are happening in the middle of the night, others in broad daylight.
Police tell us, people shopping in areas affected by armed robberies should be more vigilant of their surroundings.
A leading cause of the high numbers of armed robberies this summer is jail overcrowding.
Police say up to 50 percent of the people arrested for armed robbery, we're released from the Winnebago County Jail early for less serious offenses like shoplifting and theft.
wifr.com Extended Web Coverage
City of Rockford Crime Rates 2001
| Crime | Number | Rate |
| Murder | 11 | 7.3 |
| Criminal Sexual Assault | 145 | 96.6 |
| Robbery | 446 | 297.1 |
| Aggravated Assault | 672 | 447.7 |
| Burglary | 2,502 | 1,666.7 |
| Theft | 8.143 | 5,424.5 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1,107 | 677.5 |
| Arson | 34 | 22.6 |
| Total Crime Rate | 12,970 | 8,640 |
State of Illinois Crime Rates 2001
| Crime | Rate |
| Murder | 7.9 |
| Criminal Sexual Assault | 45.2 |
| Robbery | 200.5 |
| Aggravated Assault | 401.2 |
| Burglary | 634.9 |
| Theft | 2.512.6 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 396.3 |
| Arson | 23.7 |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,222.3 |
Source: http://www.rockford.uic.edu contributed to this report.
