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Consultant: Crime Increased Around Plainridge Park Casino

BOSTON (AP) — Communities around Plainridge Park Casino have seen an uptick in crime since it opened, but much of it does not appear to be directly attributable to Massachusetts' first casino, a consultant told gambling regulators Thursday.

Christopher Bruce, a crime analysis expert hired by the state Gaming Commission, said a preliminary review shows traffic-related incidents like erratic driving, accidents and drunk driving as well as credit card fraud have increased since the slots parlor and harness racing track opened in late June 2015.

The report compares crime data from Plainville, Attleboro, Mansfield, North Attleborough and Wrentham from July to December 2015 against average statistics covering the same period since 2010.

Bruce cautioned more research needs to be done to determine if there are any direct links to the casino's presence. Other social and economic factors could also be at work, like the heroin and opioid epidemic that's hit New England particularly hard, he suggested.

"Incidents at Plainridge Park are commensurate with expected totals at similar facilities that draw lots of people, have a large parking area, offer retail, entertainment, and dining options, and serve alcohol," Bruce wrote.

Some crime increases, he added, "clearly had nothing to do" with the casino.

A rise in prostitution in the largely suburban area could be attributed to two incidents at a hotel in the nearby town of Wrentham, for example. And increase in reported kidnappings appears to have been related to a rise in parental custody disputes, Bruce said.

The surrounding communities also generally didn't see robberies, burglaries and thefts increase, though North Attleborough dealt with a "serial burglar" that accounted for its uptick, he said.

Plainville Police Chief James Alfred didn't dispute Thursday's findings.

He said his officers aren't reporting anything "out of the norm" and suggested a retail shopping complex across from the casino tends generate more police activity.

"So far so good is the best way to put it," Alford said.

Bruce says he'll return to the commission in the fall with a deeper analysis through the first full year of Plainridge Park's operation.

Plainridge Park is the first of four casinos so far slated to open in Massachusetts by 2018, including much larger developments by MGM, Wynn and an Indian casino financed by the Malaysia-based operators of the Resorts World casino chain.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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