The map with push pins once found on a wall in the Marple Township Police building has been replaced with a virtual one.

The department recently began tracking information through CrimeReports, an online resource used by more than 700 law enforcement agencies in North America. The Web site, www.crimereports.com, assists departments in understanding situations and sharing data with the public.

"We had been searching for a way to bring residents up to speed regarding property crime," said Police Chief Tom Murray. "People formerly needed to wait for it to appear on cable, but now they can go directly to the website."

Revised daily, CrimeReports extracts information each time an officer logs a report. While the company can offer overviews of various types of crime, such as assault, assault with a deadly weapon or violent robbery, Marple focuses on vandalism and petty theft, the two major categories of offenses in the township. The cost of the service is $99 per month and will be connected to the township (www.marpletwp.com) and police department (www.marplepolice.com) websites within the next 30 days.

By entering a location, such as”Broomall PA” or “Marple Township PA” the website will provide the category, date and time, address (block and street) and general description (e.g. theft -- $200 and over) of the crime. The outline is also cross-referenced to a map of the township.

Reports can be shown for the past three, seven, 14 or 30-day periods or specific dates.

"The map helps us spot trends,” said Murray. “For example, we may see a number of incidents along West Chester Pike or in a particular neighborhood."

The website helps the department inform residents of situations and serves as a reminder of the importance of simple safety rules, such as being aware of one’s surroundings, locking houses and removing valuables and locking vehicles.

"We are certainly not trying to embarrass anyone," said Murray. "We want people to see where crimes are occurring so they can protect themselves."