KC businesses see rise in property crimes, prosecutor's office addresses efforts

Concerns continue to linger for KC area business owners who have been impacted property crimes.

Last week, the prosecutor’s office released a blog aimed at debunking the myth that nothing is being done to prosecute offenders.

“I try not to sit in that space very long. You know, being angry or frustrated about misinformation in the system. I try to figure out, okay, what do we do to solve that? You know, how do we get to the next spot down the road to get to a solution," said Jean Peters Baker Jackson County's Prosecutor.

The blog emphasized that while perception of inaction continues, the office is only able to prosecute cases that are brought to her office.

“That doesn't mean every case that the police do solve we're going to file, but we file the vast majority, the vast majority in that blog shows you that," said Baker.

In her recent blog, Baker showed the ratio of the property crimes that have been reported this year compared to the number of cases that KCPD has brought to her office.

“If it's solved, yes, it comes here. The problem is it's just so often not solved. Okay, we can't solve. I can't take a case that I never received. You know, it never came through the doors here, so I can't review a case for a final decision if I never received it," said Baker.

To continue efforts to bring charges to those responsible, KCPD, the prosecutor's office and business owners are working together to find solutions.

“I believe there's more that can be done. I believe that there's more that we could do, you know, by, you know, all of us working together, all of us sort of owning our piece of this and how we might be able to solve it," said Baker.

The prosecutor's office ask anyone to report any information or evidence that could lead to a case.
__