CLIPBOARD : Empty Pockets

The Artful Dodger was but a creation of Dickens’ imagination, but his devotees are at work in Orange County. During 1989, local law enforcement agencies report, there were 130 instances of pocket-picking resulting in a loss of $37,819--about the same levels as in 1988. During the first five months of 1990, however, there had already been 113 incidents good for $34,000 in losses. Here’s where the pocket-picking action took place in 1989, the most recent year for which information is available:

Dollar Value Value Per City Incidents Claimed Incident Anaheim 10 $4,220 $422 Brea 2 25 12.50 Buena Park 3 437 145.67 Costa Mesa 13 2,486 191.23 Cypress 7 365 52.14 Fountain Valley 3 941 313.67 Garden Grove 10 1,261 126.10 Huntington Beach 5 4,892 978.40 Irvine 4 765 191.25 Laguna Beach 3 662 220.67 La Habra 5 1,940 388 Newport Beach 2 5,413 2,706.50 Orange 2 580 290 San Clemente 2 152 76 Santa Ana 31 4,100 132.26 Stanton 4 1,570 392.50 Tustin 2 1,525 762.50 Westminster 18 5,875 326.39 Yorba Linda 1 10 10 Unincorporated areas 3 600 200 COUNTY TOTAL 130 $37,819 $290.92

Note: No incidents were reported in Dana Point, Fullerton, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Placentia, San Juan Capistrano, Seal Beach and Villa Park. Source: Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Criminal Statistics