Serious crime declined in 2021 in Newport Beach

While arrests increased overall by about 11.8% in Newport Beach in 2021, serious crime declined by 8.8%, according to a presentation given to the City Council during a study session on Tuesday.

The report presented by Newport Beach Police Chief Jon Lewis focused on “Part I” statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its uniform crime report, which provides arrest and crime statistics nationwide.

The report is divided into two categories. “Part I” crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft and or larceny and arson. “Part II” crimes are crimes like simple assault, curfew offenses, loitering, embezzlement, forgery and counterfeiting.

In Newport Beach, there were 172 fewer Part I crimes reported in 2021 than in the previous year. Over a five-year period ending last year, serious crime dropped by about 17.6%.

Lewis noted Newport Beach is not significantly affected by violent crime — homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — which dropped last year by about 3.9% from 2020.

Two homicides were reported in 2021. The first was in August and involved an Arizona man who broke into a home and was shot by the homeowner. That resident was later cleared of criminal wrongdoing. The second murder took place in October at Newport Pier.

The city saw 22 robberies and 64 aggravated assaults last year. Of the robberies, half of them were strong-arm robberies and 23% were attributed to shoplifting. Almost 60% of cases result in arrest, according to the report.

Aggravated assaults were up by about 12.3% compared to 2020. About 22% of the assaults were defined as domestic and about 64% of those cases resulted in an arrest.

Lewis said residential burglaries — up 17.2% — were a challenge in Newport Beach last year, with 136 cases reported. There were 178 cases of auto thefts noted in the report.

Deputy Police Chief Joe Cartwright said some of the robberies involved South American theft groups, which he told the council is not a problem exclusive to Newport Beach. There are also regional theft rings, he said.

“It’s affluent cities — cities where people typically have nicer cars and amenities and things of that nature. Newport Beach, Beverly Hills, Atherton up near Silicon Valley: higher price targets,” said Cartwright. “They’re usually looking for jewelry, guns, things of that nature — very high value targets.

“Some of the recommendations we make for our residents is to secure jewelry and items of high value in safe deposit boxes if possible and to make sure it always looks like you’re home. That’s the primary way that they’ll move along.”

In response to a question from Mayor Kevin Muldoon about how much of a role social media plays in heightening residents’ concerns about safety in Newport Beach, Lewis said, “It’s kind of a double-edged sword … We message a lot on property crime ... We’re always talking about it in community meetings. I think there’s a heightened awareness to property crime. On one hand, it’s a good thing: it’s in the back of their mind and they think to call us if there’s something wrong.”

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