Crime reports on Kansas University’s campus were up nearly 7 percent in 2003, according to statistics released Friday by the KU Public Safety Office.

Officers completed 862 reports last year, up from 807 in 2002. It was the first time since 1997 that crime increased.

“This is a bump,” Capt. Schuyler Bailey said. “It’s going to happen. They’ll go up or down a little bit. When you look back to 1997, it’s still a 40 percent decrease.”

Officials attributed the increase in part to a rash of bicycle thefts late last year. In all, there were 46 bicycles stolen, up from 21 in 2002.

Officers have increased their patrol of bicycle racks and have emphasized bicycle safety in awareness programs, according to a news release. There have been two bicycles reported stolen so far in 2004.

Other areas that saw small increases were assaults, disorderly conduct, driving while intoxicated and vehicle theft.

The most notable crime decreases came in the areas of criminal damage and vandalism (from 180 to 175), drugs and narcotics (from 25 to 12) and trespassing (from 16 to seven).

In a news release, Ralph Oliver, director of the Public Safety Office, said he was considering a plan that would install security cameras across campus, in parking lots and other public areas.

“We are in the early stages of determining the most effective manner in which to use cameras at KU, but we believe their presence will discourage criminal activity in the lots and make it easier to see suspicious activity when it occurs,” he said.