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Eugene police hope that a new strategy they're using to fight property crime can be effective as the Lane County Jail begins releasing more inmates into the community, Police Chief Pete Kerns said Friday.

"This is going to require that we be even more creative and innovative than we've been so far," Kerns said, referring to Lane County Sheriff Tom Turner's decision to cut the jail staff and close 84 beds in the facility's north annex in order to help balance his department's budget. The cuts went into effect last week.

Jail officials say they expect that about 750 more inmates per year will be released early as a result of the cuts. About 2,700 inmates gained early exits from the jail for "capacity based" reasons during the past year, sheriff's Capt. Randy Smith said.

The 84-bed annex previously was closed for a 16-month period in 2008 and 2009. Burglaries and thefts in Eugene rose sharply during that time, Kerns said.

The sheriff's office hired additional jail deputies and reopened the 84 beds in August 2009. Between then and now, property crime has dropped by about 25 percent in the city, Kerns said.

"Jail beds have a great deal to do with" the decrease, he said. But he added that he doesn't think the higher number of jail cells alone drove down larceny and break-ins since mid-2009.

In late 2009, Eugene police completely changed the way they address property crime, he said. A new "data-led" system now dictates the police department's strategy.

The game plan leans heavily on public education and involvement - pitching crime prevention strategies to residents of neighborhoods hit hard by car break-ins and burglaries, and offering other programs aimed at deterring criminals.

Kerns said police believe those techniques appear to be working.

An improved crime tracking system, meanwhile, has resulted in patrol officers upping their presence in neighborhoods where a series of recent crimes have occurred. The tracking system also lets police know when and how thieves are most likely to strike.

Police also have been working with prosecutors to seek prison sentences against the most prolific burglars and thieves, Kerns said.

Another factor that Kerns believes has helped lower the property crime rate is the opening of the Springfield Municipal Jail in January 2010. The city facility can hold a maximum of 100 misdemeanor-level offenders.

Eugene rents 10 beds in Springfield's jail and may soon add to that number, Kerns said.

Property crime in Springfield also has declined during the past two years. Authorities say many of the same people who commit burglaries and thefts in Eugene also victimize businesses and residences in Springfield.

For years, property crime rates in both cities have been higher than national averages.