What You Need to Know About Property Crimes in San Diego
Most residents feel safe inside their home, but San Diego residents are worried about property crimes and the potential to become a victim. Right now, the city is safer than 23% of the cities in the United States, and residents have a one in 51 chance of being the victim of a property crime, which is better than the state average of one in 42. Still, it is important to know how to protect against property crimes to help reduce the chance of becoming a victim further.
Property Crimes are Declining
Right now, property crime rates have continued to decline. In 2019, the property crime levels dropped to a point not seen in the last 40 years. Since 1980, the population of the city has increased by more than 80%. Yet, property crimes have not increased at the same rate. These only count the number of reported crimes, but it is a good indication that, despite the significant growth in the past few decades, the number of property crimes is not increasing.
Crime by the Numbers
Through 2019, there were more than 7,500 burglaries were reported. Larceny also decreased, with just under 38,000 instances being reported through 2019. The overall numbers were 3% lower than in 2018, showing a trend in the right direction. The most significant statistic, however, is the comparison to 1980. Since 1980, property crimes have decreased by 74%. In 2019, there was an average of more than $500,000 stolen per day. Though not all of it can be recovered, law enforcement was able to recover more than 1/3rd of all reported stolen items.
Common Crimes in San Diego
There are many different types of property crimes to consider. Businesses in the area must contend with theft from buildings and shoplifting, which are two of the most common types of property crime in San Diego. Residents, on the other hand, do need to be concerned about theft from their vehicle and theft of their vehicle. Motor vehicle thefts did increase slightly between 2018 and 2019, despite the overall downward trend of property crimes. Theft from inside motor vehicles, however, was the most frequently reported crime in the city, accounting for over 1/3rd of all property crime reports.
Does a Security System help?
Though the numbers are lowing, residents may want to know what they can do to keep their homes secure. A security system does help. Just having the sign for a system in the front yard has been shown to significantly reduce the chance a home will be broken into. If the home is secured with an alarm system and someone does try to break in, the alarm will sound, leading to a higher likelihood the thief will be caught or that they will disappear empty-handed in an attempt to leave before the police arrive.
Despite a reduction in property crimes, it’s still a good idea to be prepared. Residents in San Diego can help keep their home more secure by making sure doors are locked, especially on vehicles, and by installing a monitored security system today. While it may seem counter intuitive to start building a strong home security system in San Diego while crime rates are low, it actually will help everyone in the city more in the long run. When crime rates are low people begin to relax and start being less careful when it comes to locking doors, cars, and preventing crimes of opportunity. As security methods and preparedness decrease criminals will take notice, move the the area, and those who were not prepared could get hit hard by new crime entering the city. Keeping a close watch while things are good will work as a preventative measure not only for you, but for you neighborhood and community in the city as well.
How to keep a car safe in San Diego
As mentioned earlier in this article by far the most common form of crime in San Diego is property crimes being targeted on automotive vehicles. While it may seem like there is nothing you can do about somebody deciding to try and pop your car open and take any valuables you may have left inside, there are in fact many useful tips and tricks for keeping your personal belongings safe. First and foremost – buy an home security system with cameras. Often the very appearance of a camera outside of a house or vehicle is enough to deter any potential thieves. As an added bonus in the event that your car is broken into, the camera may help capture useful details about the perpetrator that could aid the police in an investigation. Imagine that after you car is broken into you capture the appearance, time, and license plate of the criminal trying to steal your belongings. Second off it is always important to secure your car with a proper remote locking system. Many older models of car have analog locks that can be bypassed with something as simple of a coat hanger or piece of string. Upgrading this to a newer, safer electronic locking system can oftentimes thwart break-ins. Some cars can even be fitted with a security system that will automatically trigger the alarm if it detects tampering. Third you must always be careful to stash any valuables in a place where they are not visible from any of the windows – or better yet not leave them in your car. Often a thief will not even try to break into a car unless they suspect there is a high value item inside the car. Things you should be careful to not leave in plane view include phones, laptops, cameras, jewelry, or important papers or documents. Consider stashing things under a back seat, under blankets in the trunk, or take advantage of the extra seat/luggage stow space. Following these tips and developing home security in San Diego will ensure that your house, car, and valuables stay safe and secure.
