Crime — A Serious Rise in Some PIA Western Alliance Cities

Safehome.org did an analysis of crime in the U.S. It gathered statistics from the FBI on violent crime, burglary, auto theft and other serious crimes.

Violent crime — says the FBI — is on the rise. Property crimes dropped overall in 2020 but rose again in 2021 and 2022 with 2022 seeing a serious rise.

Motor vehicle theft is on the increase everywhere. So are murders and other violent crimes like rape and assault.

Of the top-three cities with highest crime rates for burglary, two PIA Western Alliance cities are in the top-three:

• *Seattle, Washington — 1,351.5 per 100,000
• *Albuquerque, New Mexico — 902.9 per 100,000
• *Memphis, Tennessee — 895.8 per 100,000

             

  When it comes to larceny and theft, two PIA Western Alliance cities are in the top-three per 100,000:

             

• *Memphis, Tennessee — 3,982.6 per 100,000
• *Albuquerque, New Mexico — 3,225.8 per 100,000
• *Portland, Oregon — 3,211.0 per 100,000

             

  Two PIA Western Alliance cities rank in the top three for motor vehicle thefts:

• *Denver, Colorado — 531.4
• *Portland, Oregon — 574.9
• *Albuquerque, New Mexico — 508.4

  ValuePenguin did a different study and looked strictly at property crimes. It wanted to find out what is happening in the nation’s larger cities. ValuePenguin found that crime rates fell between 2019 and 2020 but rose 41% between 2020 and 2021.

  These are what ValuePenguin considers property crimes:

• *Arson
• *Bribery
• *Burglary/breaking and entering
• *Counterfeiting/forgery
• *Destruction/damage/vandalism
• *Embezzlement
• *Extortion/blackmail
• *Fraud
• *Larceny/theft
• *Motor vehicle theft
• *Robbery
• *Stolen property

ValuePenguin says larceny and theft are the most common. Four PIA Western Alliance cities are in the top 12 of this study:

1. Joliet, Illinois

Property crimes Q1 2022: 352

Property crimes Q1 2021: 32

Percentage of change: 1,000%

2. Newark, New Jersey

Property crimes Q1 2022: 1,356

Property crimes Q1 2021: 154

Percentage of change: 781%

3. Tacoma, Washington

Property crimes Q1 2022: 5,115

Property crimes Q1 2021: 3,135

Percentage of change: 63%

4. Norfolk, Virginia

Property crimes Q1 2022: 2,268

Property crimes Q1 2021: 1,551

Percentage of change: 46%

5. Chesapeake, Virginia

Property crimes Q1 2022:

Property crimes Q1 2021:

Percentage of change: 44%

6. Vancouver, Washington (tie with Midland, Texas)

Property crimes Q1 2022: 2,920

Property crimes Q1 2021: 2,068

Percentage of change: 41%

6. Midland, Texas (tie with Vancouver, Washington)

Property crimes Q1 2022: 548

Property crimes Q1 2021: 388

Percentage of change: 41%

8. Richmond, Virginia

Property crimes Q1 2022: 1,670

Property crimes Q1 2021: 1,241

Percentage of change: 35%

9. Spokane, Washington (tie with Plano, Texas)

Property crimes Q1 2022: 3,228

Property crimes Q1 2021: 2,241

Percentage of change: 33%

9. Plano, Texas (tie with Vancouver, Washington)

Property crimes Q1 2022: 1,396

Property crimes Q1 2021: 1,053

Percentage of change: 33%

11. Portland, Oregon

Property crimes Q1 2022: 10,713

Property crimes Q1 2021: 8,090

Percentage of change: 32%

12. Jersey City, New Jersey

Property crimes Q1 2022: 559

Property crimes Q1 2021: 426

Percentage of change: 31%