SOFA-related crime on Okinawa was up in 2008

[unhappycamper]

SOFA-related crime on Okinawa was up in 2008
By David Allen, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Tuesday, February 17, 2009

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Crime attributed to people connected with the U.S. military on Okinawa increased by 11.1 percent in 2008.

According to figures recently released by the Okinawa Prefectural Police, 70 major crimes were linked to people who fall under the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement — seven more than in 2007.

And the number of SOFA-status personnel arrested jumped from 46 in 2007 to 63 last year, a 37 percent increase.

Okinawa and military officials declined to talk about the increase.

“We are not in a position to analyze or make a comment on it,” said a spokesman at prefectural police headquarters.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60757