Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Santa Clarita Getting Mad About Rising Crime : Gangs: Statistics show an alarming increase in lawlessness and violence. Citizens group addresses city’s tarnished image.

Valencia resident Joey Paige didn’t have to see the crime statistics to know that the situation has become worse in his area.

“When I came out here three years ago, it seemed a lot more peaceful,” said Paige, one of about 100 local residents gathered for a discussion about crime in their area. “I hear a lot more sirens now.”

The meeting, sponsored by the local chapter of the citizens group Mad About Rising Crime, drew a capacity crowd to the community room of the Valencia Town Center. Many there seemed concerned that Santa Clarita’s image of suburban calm and security was becoming tarnished.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department statistics read at the meeting showed their concerns were not baseless: The number of gang members living in the Santa Clarita area quadrupled during the past three years, and serious gang-related felonies tripled from 1992 to 1993, a report stated.

Residents seemed at a loss to explain the increase.

“Why is this generation so different from my generation?” asked Cheryl Strojin, a Valencia resident in her late 40s. “I can’t understand why kids, who have more today than we ever did, are like this.”

Deputy John Hudson of the sheriff station’s Career Offenders Burglary Robbery Apprehension (COBRA) team, which investigates gang crimes, told residents that youths today are influenced by different factors than previous generations.

“When you were growing up, the things that influenced you were your family, your church, school and then, maybe, your peers,” he said. “They (recently) did a survey, and the No. 1 thing that affects kids today are their peers.”

Many youths are attracted to gangs because other members tell them they will become “invincible” and not be held accountable for their actions, said Robby Robinson, a probation officer with the Los Angeles County probation department.

There were about 125 gang members living in the Santa Clarita Valley three years ago, compared to 505 in February of this year, according to Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station statistics. Serious gang felonies such as drive-by shootings and assaults increased from 24 in 1992 to 67 in 1993, and other gang crimes showed a similar increase.

The totals are still far below surrounding areas such as the San Fernando and Antelope valleys, Hudson said.

Paige, a real estate employee, said customers looking to move to Santa Clarita from the San Fernando Valley still perceive the city as relatively crime-free, but that could change.

“If it continues to deteriorate out here, it’s going to hurt sales,” he said.

Robinson said the city is still in the early stages of gang infiltration and that it’s possible to control the situation before it gets out of hand. Several law enforcement officials spoke of the benefit of community-based police programs for surveillance and other preventive measures.

Rick Gibby, a senior lead officer for the Los Angeles Police Department’s Devonshire Division, said his area has 5,000 volunteers taking part in such programs and that they aided in an 11% decrease in crime in 1993.

“Apathy is our worst enemy,” Gibby said.

The discussion was the first community meeting by the local Mad About Rising Crime chapter. The organization was co-founded in the west San Fernando Valley by Lin Squires, who attended the Santa Clarita meeting.