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Home My WebLink AboutInformational Report - Burglary and Theft Report in Palm Desert - 2008-2010• TO: FROM: SUBJECT: SUMMARY PALM DESERT POLICE DEPARTMENT Served by the Riverside County Sheriffs Department Stanley Sniff, Sheriff - Coroner Palm Desert Public Safety Commission DATE: February 24, 2011 Lieutenant Andrew Shouse Report on Burglary and Theft in Palm Desert, 2008-2010 Attached is a report prepared by the Crime Analysis Unit at the Palm Desert Station that summarizes the incidents of burglary and felony theft that occurred within the City of Palm Desert from 2008-2010. What is of interest is that although crime has steadily declined in Palm Desert over the last several years, there were 671 reported burglaries in 2010. Of those burglaries, 301 were residential burglaries. Residential burglary is the most intrusive property crime reported to police and has the most significant psychological impact on the victim. The attached report is being provided to the Public Safety Commission for informational purposes and to facilitate discussion regarding future initiatives in combating burglary in our city. CITY COUNCIL ACTION APPROVED DENIED RECEIVED �' �� t' OTHER MEETING DATE AYES: Ro e 4 - n e NOES: A Lll e - ABSENT: -N E)n e ABSTAIN: N Oil L VERIFIED BY. Original on File with City Clerk's Office City of Palm Desert Property Related Index Crimes Assessment Executive Summary The property crimes assessment for the city Palm Desert was conducted to examine in greater detail the impact of property crime in the Palm Desert Police Department Area of Responsibility (AoR). The assessment focused on the trends of burglary, larceny -theft, and motor vehicle theft for the years of 2008, 2009, and 2010. Residential burglary can be the most serious of property crimes due to its intrusive nature. Based on the 3 year indicators, the residential burglary situation in the Palm Desert Police Department AoR is not likely to significantly decrease without an alternate burglary strategy implementation. Property Related Index Crimes Part 1 crimes under the Uniform Crime Reporting System include murder and non -negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny -theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. For the purposes of this report, the focus was the property related crimes; burglary, larceny -theft, and motor vehicle theft. • Burglary —The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program defines burglary as the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. To classify an offense as a burglary, the use of force to gain entry need not have occurred. The UCR Program has three sub classifications for burglary: forcible entry, unlawful entry where no force is used, and attempted forcible entry. The UCR definition of "structure" includes apartment, barn, house trailer or houseboat when used as a permanent dwelling, office, railroad car (but not automobile), stable, and vessel (i.e., ship). • Larceny-Theftl The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program defines larceny -theft as the unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Examples are thefts of bicycles, motor vehicle parts and accessories, shoplifting, pocket -picking, or the stealing of any property or article that is not taken by force and violence or by fraud. Attempted larcenies are included. Embezzlement, confidence games, forgery, check fraud, etc., are excluded. • Motor vehicle theft In the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, motor vehicle theft is defined as the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. In the UCR Program, a motor vehicle is a self-propelled vehicle that runs on land surfaces and not on rails. Examples of motor vehicles include sport utility vehicles, automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, motor scooters, all -terrain vehicles, and snowmobiles. Motor vehicle theft does not include farm equipment, bulldozers, airplanes, construction equipment, or water craft such as motorboats, sailboats, houseboats, or jet skis. The taking of a motor vehicle for temporary use by persons having lawful access is excluded from this definition. 'The larceny -theft information contained in this report examined felonious larceny only. The assessment does not indicate larcenies with property value below $400.00. Year 2011 changes to the Grand Theft redefined property value over $950.00 to be grand theft. Year 2011 changes are not reflected in this assessment. Property Crime Impact (Palm Desert 907) Year 2008 In 2008, the Central Crime Analysis Unit (CCAU) compiled time clocks for average crime occurrences. CCAU calculated the rate of burglaries at one every 10.2 hours in the City of Palm Desert. During the 2008 calendar year, Palm Desert had 848 total burglaries reported. Three hundred eighty-two of the burglaries were residential. In 2008, 45 % of the burglaries were residential Bz 9 4 4 B O.Oft Bu'gGd Wgft I BugAll BugGW B.9&h i BugG. W9CrMI Bugfs All; • Residential Burglary Streets T 30 T 32 :3 T 34 T 36 ^i T 38 Year 2009 In 2009, Palm Desert had 737 total burglaries reported. The residential burglary rate decreased 12% from 2008. The decrease was consistent with the National trend. However, the decrease was more significant than the National 1.3 % decrease. In 2009, 45 % of the burglaries were residential 341 335 20 lA 9 7 2 2 I I 1 MON BwpPoa Bmpll¢ WfAll BmpGai BwpCon BwACaA'. BwpGm Bmp$h BmpCon BmpBoA All All All All • Residential Burglary Streets T 30 T 32 Q T 34 T 36 Q T 38 Year 2010 In 2010, 671 total burglaries were reported. The In 2010, 45 % of the burglaries were residential total burglary rate decreased by 9%, the residential burglary rate decreased by 12%. 301 2e Palm Desert Burglary Trend 2008-2010 20 17 IB 7 7 3 2 Res. Burg M, B qh, BUIBCM Bu BAIT hq W, ! Bul B M,, BurpSO hqC.K11 UBCon BmpGai Afl,. Cml. Burg 2008 2009 2010 • Residential Burglary Streets Q T 30 EM T 32 0 T 34 0 T 36 T 38 ANOWMa Palm Desert Outlook The Palm Desert residential burglary data has consistently decreased for the past 3 years. Based on the past trend, residential burglaries for 2011 should range between 300- 350. There were no trend indicators suggesting any significant changes. Other property crime trends remained fairly constant and significant increases/decreases are not expected. Palm Desert --Additional Property Related Crime Trends Vehicle Burglary ._-.__.___-.� Year Reported Veh Burg Trend 2008 482 2009 227 ------- ---..- .._._� 2010 274 3 i arceny-Theft Year Reported Larcenies i Trend --.---.- �_- 2008 380 € 2009 -� 273 2010 247 Motor Vehicle Theft Year Reported Veh Thefts Trend 2008 160 — 2009 117 2010 117 Conclusion Residential burglary can be the most serious of property crimes due to its intrusive nature. Based on historical indicators, the residential burglary situation in the Palm Desert Police Department AoR is not likely to significantly decrease without an alternate burglary strategy implementation. A residential burglary study conducted by Coupe and Griffiths concluded that proactive patrol alone had little impact (10%) in solving residential burglaries'. Key findings to solving burglaries included: • effective collection and use of evidence • screening open burglary cases to prioritize cases with investigative leads • dedicated burglary investigators with knowledge of local burglary characteristics • increase in "limited" surveillance, stop -checks, and targeting possible offenders • systematic and comprehensive use of criminal intelligence and crime analysis Federal judges are scheduled to revisit the impending release of 43,000 California inmates early 2011. The release would more than likely impact the City of Palm Desert. The current trends for the City of Palm Desert do not indicate any significant increases/decreases in the property crime. However, increased crime rates are expected upon the Federal inmate release. 'Crime Detection & Prevention Series Paper 77, "Solving Residential Burglary"; Timothy Coupe, Max Griffiths, http:// rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/prgpdfs/fcdps77.pdf