Oneida County Law Enforcement Officials have been called to a group of robberies in recent weeks. Why are so many people trying to steal money? Is it all related to current economic problems?

Three weeks ago, three suspects allegedly stole $11,000 from the Beacon Federal Credit Union in Marcy before being arrested. Two weeks later, the Marcy Fastrac was robbed.

Two days ago, three separate businesses were robbed in the same day. The question many are asking is, why so many, and why now?

"I think a lot of it may have to do with the economy, the rise in gas prices, which has turned other costs to go up so I think that is part of it, and I think a good part of it is drug related," said Oneida County Sheriff Daniel Middaugh.

There have been at least 12 reported robberies or attempted robberies in the last five months. State Police say many robberies are crimes of opportunity - thieves see cash and within 90 seconds commit the crimes, despite numerous security cameras that catch them in the act.

"People have to survive somehow, but that's not the way to do it, not going out and committing robberies so." Middaugh said.

While Sheriff Middaugh and State Police officials we spoke with say the economy is a major reason why the robbery numbers are increasing, others disagree.

"There really haven't been any definitive studies connecting crime with causation," said Donal Rebovich, an Economics Professor at Utica College.

Nationally, violent crimes went down in 2007 about 3%, and between 2006-07 robberies in Oneida County declined nearly 7%.

Rebovich says crime won't be going down, but he expects to see fewer face to face robberies.

"In some of the studies that I have done, I have seen criminals crossing over into identify theft, that's in effect, safer for them," Rebovich said.