Detectives say high rental property areas likely have high crime

Areas with a high number of properties occupied by people who are not the owners are likely to have a higher crime rate, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Department.

ABC 17 News previously reported on at least 22 incidents on Demaret Drive in 2018. This includes three shootings in 2019, six shootings in 2018, a fireworks war and a standoff with police.

Areas around Demaret Drive such as Sarazen Drive, Snead Drive, Hogan Drive and Lema Lane had three reports altogether, according to previous reporting.

“Most of our problems that we deal with come from rental property,” said Boone County Detective Tom O’Sullivan. “Rental property that’s not maintained to a certain level just breeds this type of activity.”

According to the Boone County assessor’s website, in the 700 and 800 blocks of Demaret Drive, 97.7% of residents living at properties they do not own. This is out of 44houses ABC 17 News checked.

Out of all of the houses on Serazen Drive, 76% were owner-occupied. This is 16 out of 21 houses.

Snead Drive had 60% of homes owner occupied, which is nine of 15 homes. Hogan Drive had 23% owner-occupied homes, or 10 of 13. Lema Lane had 87.5% owner-occupied, or seven of eight.