We’ve already had two robberies this month and eight this year. Fortunately, this is unusual for Idaho Falls. Typically, we get about 12-16 robberies a year – about 5 times lower than the national average for cities our size.
The national numbers for 2011 aren't yet available, but here’s a break-down so far:
By the way, people sometimes say, “I’ve been robbed” when they really mean something else. At the risk of over-simplifying a bit, a robbery is when violence or threat of violence is used such as sticking a gun in your face and demanding your wallet. A theft is when they steal something when you’re not around and a burglary is when they take it from a building.