Second Straight Yearly Rise in Orange County : Reported Crimes Increase in Populous Areas

For the second year in a row, the crime rate rose in Orange County during 1985.

But preliminary statistics releAsed this week by Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp show that violent crimes and crimes against property in the county increased by only 0.8%, while rising 2.7% statewide.

If final statistics due to be compiled later this year bear out the estimates, it will be the first increase in crime since 1980 for the state as a whole; the second for Orange County.

The incidence of crime rose 7.6% in Orange County during 1984. But overall, the annual compilations show the number of crimes in the county between 1980 and 1984 decreased 14.8%.

The preliminary statistics for 1985 are based only on the number of crimes reported to police agencies with jurisdictions of 100,000 or more. In Orange County, there were increases in Anaheim, Fullerton and unincorporated areas served by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Santa Ana registered decreases.

Smaller Cities Excluded

Police departments for 21 smaller cities in Orange County were not included in the report by Van de Kamp’s Bureau of Criminal Statistics. But statistician Quint Hegner said the figures from the larger departments “are pretty good indicators since it covers most of the population.”

Anaheim Police Department, with a 4.7% increase over 1984, showed the highest jump among Orange County police agencies included in the survey. The 3.8% decline for Huntington Beach was the largest decrease.

Vehicle thefts, assaults and robberies increased statewide, while forcible rapes decreased slightly. There was no significant change in homicides or burglaries, the report showed.

While the increase in crime is a “source of alarm,” Van de Kamp said, “ . . . we cannot draw any significant conclusions from such a small rise.

The state crime study to be prepared later this year will reflect population changes and thus will be a more significant indicator, the attorney general said.

1985 ORANGE COUNTY CRIME STATISTICS

VIOLENT CRIMES State crime Willful Forcible Agencies Index total homicide rape Robbery Total 2.7% 3.1% 0% -1.2% 3.3% Anaheim 4.7 -5.6 -- -1.9 -4.8 Fullerton 1.0 -10.9 -- -- 3.0 O.C. Sheriff 1.8 -18.4 -- -- -19.1 Garden Grove -.2 -6.8 -- -- 7.8 Huntington Beach -5.1 -6.6 -- -- -11.3 Santa Ana -7.4 -10.4 -- -- -19.1

PROPERTY CRIMES Aggravated Motor vehicle Agencies assault Total Burglary theft Total 3.6% 2.6% 0% 9.3% Anaheim -8.9 6.6 2.8 20.0 Fullerton 15.9 3.8 7.4 5.5 O.C. Sheriff -18.4 5.7 8.0 -5.5 Garden Grove -16.0 1.5 -.4 7.8 Huntington Beach 1.2 -4.9 -6.7 1.1 Santa Ana -18.4 5.7 8.0 -5.5

Source: California Attorney General’s Bureau Of Criminal Statistics.