Crime — A Serious Rise in Some PIA Western Alliance Cities

CRIME

A Serious Rise in Several U.S. Cities

Safehome.org did an analysis of crime in the U.S. It gathered statistics from the FBI on violent crime, burglary, auto theft and other serious crimes.

Violent crime — says the FBI — is on the rise. Property crimes dropped overall in 2020 but rose again in 2021 and 2022 with 2022 seeing a serious rise.

Motor vehicle theft is on the increase everywhere. So are murders and other violent crimes like rape and assault.

Top-three cities with highest crime rates for burglary:

• Seattle, Washington 1,351.5 per 100,000 • Albuquerque, New Mexico 902.9 per 100,000 • Memphis, Tennessee 895.8 per 100,000

Top-three cities with highest larceny and theft per 100,000:

• Memphis, Tennessee 3,982.6 per 100,000 • Albuquerque, New Mexico 3,225.8 per 100,000 • Portland, Oregon 3,211.0 per 100,000

Top-three cities with highest motor vehicle thefts:

• Denver, Colorado — 531.4 • Portland, Oregon — 574.9 • Albuquerque, New Mexico — 508.4

ValuePenguin did a different study and looked strictly at property crimes. It wanted to find out what is happening in the nation’s larger cities. ValuePenguin found that crime rates fell between 2019 and 2020 but rose 41% between 2020 and 2021.

These are what ValuePenguin considers property crimes:

• Arson • Bribery • Burglary/breaking and entering • Counterfeiting/forgery • Destruction/damage/vandalism • Embezzlement • Extortion/blackmail • Fraud • Larceny/theft • Motor vehicle theft • Robbery • Stolen property

ValuePenguin says larceny and theft are the most common. Top-twelve cities of this study:

1. Joliet, Illinois

Property crimes Q1 2022: 352 Property crimes Q1 2021: 32 Percentage of change: 1,000%

2. Newark, New Jersey

Property crimes Q1 2022: 1,356 Property crimes Q1 2021: 154 Percentage of change: 781%

3. Tacoma, Washington

Property crimes Q1 2022: 5,115 Property crimes Q1 2021: 3,135 Percentage of change: 63%

4. Norfolk, Virginia

Property crimes Q1 2022: 2,268 Property crimes Q1 2021: 1,551 Percentage of change: 46%

5. Chesapeake, Virginia

Property crimes Q1 2022: Property crimes Q1 2021: Percentage of change: 44%

6. Vancouver, Washington (tie with Midland, Texas)

Property crimes Q1 2022: 2,920 Property crimes Q1 2021: 2,068 Percentage of change: 41%

6. Midland, Texas (tie with Vancouver, Washington)

Property crimes Q1 2022: 548 Property crimes Q1 2021: 388 Percentage of change: 41%

8. Richmond, Virginia

Property crimes Q1 2022: 1,670 Property crimes Q1 2021: 1,241 Percentage of change: 35%

9. Spokane, Washington (tie with Plano, Texas)

Property crimes Q1 2022: 3,228 Property crimes Q1 2021: 2,241 Percentage of change: 33%

9. Plano, Texas (tie with Vancouver, Washington)

Property crimes Q1 2022: 1,396 Property crimes Q1 2021: 1,053 Percentage of change: 33%

11. Portland, Oregon

Property crimes Q1 2022: 10,713 Property crimes Q1 2021: 8,090 Percentage of change: 32%

12. Jersey City, New Jersey Property crimes Q1 2022: 559 Property crimes Q1 2021: 426 Percentage of change: 31%

Source: SafeHome.org and PropertyCasualty360.com