Naperville police midyear crime data shows big spike in ODs, sextortion

The Naperville Police Department has released its midyear crime data, which show there was an increase in drug overdose and sextortion cases in the first half of 2023 compared to the first half of last year.

Drug overdose cases more than doubled from year to year, escalating from 22 in 2022 to 54 in 2023 for the period between Jan. 1 and June 30, data shows. Nine were tied to heroin and the rest to prescription drugs or a mix of substances.

Six of the overdoses — two from heroin, two from cocaine and two from prescription drugs — were fatal this year, compared to three in 2022 and two in 2021.

Police said residents can help prevent possible overdoeses by getting rid of any unused or expired prescriptions or over-the-counter medications they have in their homes. Prescription drug drop boxes are available at the Naperville Police Department, 1350 Aurora Ave., or any city fire station.

Fourteen cases of extortion or blackmail were reported in the first half of 2023, a significant jump over the two cases reported in the first half of 2022.

Of the 14 incidents, 11 were sextortion cases involving teen boys who sent inappropriate photos of themselves to a person they did not known who then threatened them with public release if the teen did not pay money to the blackmailer, police said.

Naperville police Cmdr. Michaus Williams said school resource officers continually work with school administrators on programs to educate students about cyberbullying and cybercrimes, which includes the potential for sextortion stemming from photos and videos.

On the good news front, no murders have been committed in Naperville in 2023. Last year, two homicides had occurred by June 30, numbers show.

Property crimes, including theft, fraud and vandalism, make up about 65% of reported crimes in 2023, a percentage that is only slightly higher than in 2022.

Burglaries decreased from 60 cases in the first half of 2022 to 46 cases in 2023. Of the cases this year, 15 in 2023 were residential and 13% involved the use of force. Thirty were to commercial buildings.

Crimes against people make up 25% of the city’s crime statistics, but the number slightly decreased in 2023.

The number of sexual assaults dropped by more than 50%, going from 23 in 2022 to 11 in 2023. Simple assaults decreased from 458 in 2022 to 322 in 2023.

Mental health incidents so far this year are similar in number to 2022, with 468 being handled in 2022 and 479 in 2023 compared to 550 in 2021. While police responded to more calls for suicidal people (82 in 2023 vs. 53 in 2022) and took more suicidal people to the hospital (10 more than in 2022), there was a decrease in actual suicides from eight in 2022 to two in 2023.