Violent Crime Up in Anaheim

While crime dropped again throughout Orange County in the first half of the year, violent crime in Anaheim rose nearly 30%.

Records indicate that the number of serious assaults such as bar fights and gang clashes jumped from 359 to 580, most occurring during the first four months of the year. In May and June, the number dropped significantly.

The number of reported rapes rose from 38 to 44.

“We don’t know what is causing the aberration,” said Anaheim Sgt. Joe Vargas. “It caused us some concern in the beginning of the year.”

The department is looking for an explanation--even statistical glitches--but so far has found few clues. More reporting of domestic violence explains only part of the surge, Vargas said.

The jump is even more surprising because other types of violent crime in the city actually dropped. Homicides, for example, declined 50% from 10 to 5, and robberies were down 10%, according to statistics released by the California Department of Justice.

Vargas said the numbers also show that crime can’t decline forever and that eventually reported crime will reach a “plateau.”

“People have to realize that given the population and the demographics that crime can only go so low,” Vargas said. “We would be very pleased if they kept going down, but realistically they have to plateau.”

Still, the seven-year drop in crime has made an impact. Anaheim is now experiencing the same crime rate that it did in the late 1970s, Vargas said.

Because of a sharp drop in property crimes, Anaheim’s total crime rate for the first six months of 1999 was actually down 4%. Countywide, the total crime rate was down 9% and the violent crime rate was down 3%.

The department is not planning any new measures to crack down on assaults but will continue to monitor the problem, Vargas said. The department will focus more on community policing to reach the city’s teenagers before they commit crimes, he said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Bucking the Trend

Unlike the rest of Orange County, Anaheim had a jump in violent crime. That category includes homicides, rapes, robberies and assaults. Property crime includes burglaries and vehicle thefts. The FBI crime index counts violent crimes, property crimes, larcenies and arson offenses.

ANAHEIM

FIB Index Crime: -4%

Violent Crime: +29%

Property Crime: -17%

ORANGE COUNTY

FBI Index Crime: -9%

Violent Crime: -3%

Property Crime: -18%

Source: California Department of Justice