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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW No charges will be filed in school bus crash outside Rogue River ... Accused Rogue River murderer allegedly admitted crime to police ... Two arrested in connection with theft of Brammo racing bike ... No charges will be filed in school bus crash outside Rogue River ... Accused Rogue River murderer allegedly admitted crime to police ... Two arrested in connection with theft of Brammo racing bike ... PUBLIC SAFETY Medford car thefts and arsons were up in 2014 Robbery, burglary and assault were down Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 14, 2015 at 2:41 PM Updated Jan 14, 2015 at 6:21 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 14, 2015 at 2:41 PM Updated Jan 14, 2015 at 6:21 PM What do you think? --> Have an opinion on this story? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter. » Read more X What do you think? Have an opinion on this story? Send a letter to the editor at www.mailtribune.com/sendletter . » Social News Car thefts and intentionally set fires increased substantially in Medford in 2014, while robberies, assaults and burglaries decreased slightly, Medford police reported. Car thefts rose a whopping 34 percent, to 245, compared with 183 in 2013. "We believe there's going to be a group of criminals that is responsible for several cases," Medford police Lt. Mike Budreau said. Seventy cases of arson were reported in 2014, up 30 percent from 54 in 2013. That increase was pushed by a month-long spree of blazes around the city that started with the June 25 leveling of a historic warehouse and fruit-packing plant downtown. Debra Johns, 57, was charged with starting four of those fires and was convicted of two.  Police responded to 4,528 thefts in 2014, up about 7 percent from 4,227 in 2013. Among those thefts, shoplifting climbed nearly 7 percent, thefts from vehicles jumped 18 percent and bike thefts rose 15 percent. All other theft types decreased by about 7 percent. The number of reported robberies dropped slightly from 98 in 2013 to 94 in 2014. Most of those were third-degree robbery, in which the robber used or threatened physical force. The city saw 1,231 assaults in 2014, down 11 percent from the 1,386 documented in 2013. Most were misdemeanor fourth-degree assault cases. Police responded to 532 burglary cases in 2014, a 4 percent drop from the 555 reported in 2013. Most of 2014's burglary cases — 326 — occurred in residences, down 15 percent from 384 in 2013. Police also said the number of suicides and suicide attempts were up, with 555 reported in 2014 and 479 in 2013. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 14, 2015 at 2:41 PM Updated Jan 14, 2015 at 6:21 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501