While nationwide violent crime rates spiked last year, the rates for most other crimes have fallen, with the notable exception of those involving motor vehicle theft and break-ins. In California, property crime has fallen by 22% compared to early 2020, but motor vehicle theft has spiked by the same percentage according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that car thefts increased by 33% in San Francisco alone from 2019 to 2020.
Besides implementing safety protocols at country jails to reduce the spread of COVID-19 cases, some nonviolent felons were given court dates, so they are no longer detained. In addition, other felons were released early to minimize jail populations and reduce the risk of transmitting the coronavirus. In San Mateo County, 135 inmates were released.
“These people are committing crimes with a ticket in their hand,” said Michael Haobsh, public information officer for the San Mateo Police Department. “They’re still out there committing crimes and victimizing innocent community members … because we’re prohibited from booking them into jail.”
In November, while on a shopping trip at Trader Joe’s, San Mateo County resident Tracey Syme came back to the parking lot and found her rental car broken into. After realizing her laptop was missing, a witness informed her that a thief had been peering into car windows, scouting for one to break into. Syme has not been able to recover her stolen valuables.
“I had a lot of other [personal items] in my bag connected to my work, and I’m [never] going to … get it back,” Syme said. “It was just really upsetting that this happened.”
Five similar crimes in San Mateo County occurred around the same time Syme was robbed. A lack of security and the right precautions in public places could be another factor. Haobsh recommends keeping fences locked and windows closed at home. Shrubbery and trees could be trimmed to lower heights in order to avoid giving criminals chances to ambush residents. Valuables and personal information should be carried instead of left in vehicles to lessen risks of being targeted.
Recently, San Mateo resident Guillermo San Miguel found his car door handle broken and suspected that someone had attempted to steal his tools. A few days later, his door lock was loose again after he had already fixed the damage. San Miguel called the police and set up security cameras to take further precaution. In another incident, San Miguel had his work van broken into and over $500 worth of equipment stolen.
“I called the police, but they didn’t have someone who could come,” San Miguel said. “Their question is always, ‘is the burglar still there? Did you see it [happen]?’ I did not see anything, … [so the police realized] they were wasting time. There was no way they could track this down.”
Only about 13.5% of burglary cases are solved due to the typical lack of evidence and witnesses in the case. While crime rates have lowered in San Mateo County, they have not entirely vanished. Taking advice from local law enforcement and reading about experiences from other San Mateo residents can help prevent burglaries.
