I call bullshit on Channel 31 pot-burglary hype

Burglaries at medical marijuana dispensaries increasing in Denver" Heidi Hemmat, a KVDR reporter whose past work I respect (she is one of a few reporters in Denver willing to report on environmental crimes) has drawn the wrong conclusion from the data she presented. Here is a graph using the data she reported last night.

The projected 2013 data clearly show, despite the large increase in the number of dispensaries, burglaries are going down (from 102 in 2012 to 88 (projected) in 2013. A better statistic would have been burglaries/per store. Enough with the scare tactics.


Ed. Note: I've asked Heidi Hemmat for a response and will post her reply if and when it is received.
Her (prompt) response:

Gerald, where are you getting that 88 number for 2013? I don’t think you can “project” burglary numbers. It would be more accurate to find out from DPD what their latest numbers are. You are correct though, if it continues on the same pace the numbers would actually be down at the end of the year.