DOVER, DE- Earlier this week, the Dover Police Department released its 2024 Annual Report—and the numbers are in. Crime in Dover is showing some varying trends, with increases in shoplifting, overdoses, and homicides compared to last year.
Downtown Dover business owners, such as Andrea Jones, say they are feeling the impact of these trends firsthand.
Jones opened her bakery, Pastries Deli and More, in downtown Dover last May, hoping to bring something sweet to the community.
However, Jones says just last week—minutes after getting into work around 5 a.m. alone to start baking—she quickly realized she wasn’t alone.
"He basically watched me come in, and when he saw me—thank God I locked the door—he took it as an opportunity to try to get in. It was a really, really scary situation."
Jones recalled how a man attempted to break her window to enter her bakery but fortunately failed.
"If they had gotten in another way, I just would have been on my own. We need help."
Chief Thomas Johnson, with the Dover Police Department, presented the 2024 Annual Report to the Dover City Council on Monday, revealing the crime trends from the past year.
In 2024, there was a 28 percent increase in shoplifting in Dover, with 1,677 incidents.
Chief Thomas Johnson, with the Dover Police Department, described this as a sharp rise compared to 1,308 incidents in 2023 and 935 in 2022.
"This is two years in a row now that shoplifting has increased significantly."
The report also revealed that Dover officers responded to 210 overdose calls in 2024, a significant rise from previous years.
In 2023, there were 165 overdose calls, and in 2022, there were 159.
Business owners like Jones say this increase has been negatively affecting her business and has become an ongoing problem she's had to address directly.
"We spent the whole summer calling 911. We had a lot of people who needed Narcan and medical help because they had a lot of different issues."
Despite these rising concerns, the Dover Police Department emphasized progress in certain areas.
Chief Johnson acknowledged the challenges but highlighted improvements through their quality-of-life initiative and community outreach efforts.
Additionally, the department is working on improving safety with ongoing revitalization efforts in downtown Dover.
Chief Johnson assured business owners and residents that they can expect a stronger, more persistent police presence as these efforts unfold.
"To any business owner along the Lockman Street corridor or any resident living in one of those connecting neighborhoods, I think they can expect to see a little bit more of a persistent, dedicated police presence as the next few months come upon us."
Chief Johnson also told WBOC that the department is working on a new initiative to implement cadets in the downtown area within the coming months, once training is complete.
As crime trends evolve, the Dover Police Department continues to work toward a safer future for all.