Ames may lack glistening sky scrapers, gutter clutter and smog, but it is not exempt from the troubles of crime. A study by the Iowa State Daily shows that where you live could well determine your chance of becoming a crime victim.

About 1,400 crimes were reported to the Ames Police Department in 1995 and published in the daily record of the Ames Daily Tribune. The crimes were plotted by neighborhood on a city map by the Iowa State Daily.

DOWNTOWN

With one crime for every 21 people, downtown had the most crimes per person and the second highest total of crime complaints.

About 375 crimes were reported from the neighborhood in and around the downtown area of Ames.

Vehicles were a hot item, with 5 of the 12 total cars stolen from downtown, the largest number stolen from any neighborhood.

The highest number of thefts from vehicles, 60 of the 202 total in the city, were reported in downtown. About 52 complaints of vehicle vandalism were reported with damage ranging from smashed windows to contaminated gas tanks.

Downtown also had the highest number of premises vandalized, with 22 reports, and the second highest number of theft-from-the-premises reports, with 49.

Of the 44 burglaries reported in the city in 1995, downtown had 15, the highest number in any neighborhood.

Ames Police Sgt. Jim Robinson said downtown has the highest number of break-ins in the city because of the number of businesses located there.

But bikes weren’t a popular target for thieves; only 16 were reported stolen.

Downtown may not have a large population, with only about 8,000 residents, according to the 1990 U.S. census, but it was the noisiest. Police responded to 88 noise calls.

Of the 3,715 households downtown, more than half are rented out, according to the census report.

Ames Police Chief Dennis Ballantine said the high number of noise calls could be because of the students infiltrated with families in the area.

CAMPUSTOWN

Campustown had one crime reported for every 32 people, with a total of 420 complaints, the highest number of any neighborhood.

“Most of our arrests occur in Campustown,” Ballantine said, because of the bars and businesses in the area that attract people.

Ballantine said the reason for the extra patrol in Campustown and downtown is because of the higher number of crimes.

Forty-nine people in Campustown reported thefts from their vehicles ranging from personal property to vehicle parts, and about 75 people reported that their vehicles had been vandalized.

Ballantine said the high amount of vandalism and theft was because there were more cars parked in the area.

“Individuals who have had too much to drink may have led to many car vandalism cases,” Robinson said.

About 70 people reported theft from their premises, ranging from Christmas lights on homes to items shoplifted from a business. Campustown suffered nearly one-third of the city’s total of thefts from the premises.

Campustown had 11 burglaries reported, the second highest number of any neighborhood.

Of the 130 bikes reported stolen in the city, 65 bikes were taken from Campustown.

“There is a higher concentration of bikes in Campustown due to the student population,” Robinson said.

According to the census report, about 13,300 people live in about 1,500 households, with about 1,000 of them being rental housing units. Campustown also includes 9,800 dorm rooms.

With more people, there are more problems, Robinson said.

Despite having the highest concentration of 18 to 24-year-olds, according to the census report, only 65 of the 260 noise complaints came from Campustown.

WEST AMES

West Ames had one crime for every 32 people and the third highest number of crime reports with 315 reported.

Police received 50 reports of theft from vehicles in West Ames. About 50 vehicles were vandalized, but just two cars were stolen.

West Ames had the second highest number of premises vandalized, with 13 reported, but a low of 27 reports of theft from the premises. It also had the second lowest number of burglaries with only six reported.

The second highest number of bikes, 32, was reported stolen from West Ames.

Nearly 10,000 people live in West Ames with more than half of the households rented out, according to the census report.

Dominated by the second largest amount of 18 to 24-year-olds, according to the census report, noise was the biggest problem in West Ames. Police responded to 71 complaints.

SOUTH AMES

South Ames had one crime for every 35 people with 85 reported. It also had the lowest crime rate reported in the city.

The population is somewhat smaller compared to other areas, Robinson said.

Vehicles appeared to be the most attractive target. About 18 thefts from vehicles were reported, and 14 were reported vandalized.

Only nine reports of theft from the premises were reported, with just 5 reports of vandalized premises.

Two burglaries were also reported. Bike theft was also scarce in South Ames with only two reported.

According to the census report, nearly 3,000 people live on the south side of town with two-thirds of the households owner-occupied.

Noise was not the biggest problem compared to the rest of the city, with only 20 complaints reported in South Ames, which is dominated by a 25-year-old to 49-year-old population, according to the census report.

NORTH AMES

North Ames, the highest populated neighborhood with 17,336 residents, according to the census report, had less than half of the number of crimes reported in Campustown. Only one crime was reported for every 87 people.

Just 22 reports of vandalized vehicles were reported, along with only 25 reports of thefts from vehicles. North Ames had the second largest amount of stolen vehicles with 3 reports.

About 40 reports of theft from the premises were from North Ames and this area had a lower number of premises vandalized with only 11 reports.

Burglaries were the third highest, with North Ames having 10 reports.

With the highest number of families at 7,623, and dominated by residents over the age of 50, according to the census reports, North Ames had the lowest number of noise complaints in the city with only 16 reports. Bike theft was also a smaller problem in North Ames with just 12 reported stolen.