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Spike in Robberies in 2016 Ends Tulsa's Downward Trend

KWGS News-File photo

Tulsa experienced a surge of robberies in 2016, ending a five-year downward trend.

Tulsa Police Department data show that more than 1,000 robberies were reported from the start of January through November, already 19 percent more than last year's total of 854 robberies.

The Tulsa World reports that December's robbery count won't be available until January.

The spike halted the city's annual decrease dating back to at least 2010, when nearly 1,400 robberies occurred.

Sgt. Brandon Watkins, who heads the police department's robbery unit, says he can't explain why 2016 was such "a tough year." He says the reversal isn't enough to predict whether a new trend of increased robberies can be expected in the future