On paper, you were more likely to have your car stolen in Lathrop through the first 11 months of 2014 but less likely to be the victim of a burglary.

And while violent crime as a whole declined during the same period when compared to the previous year, property crimes increased.

There were 555 property crimes during the first 11 months of 2013, and 670 during the same period last year. The December crime stats have not yet been posted on the Lathrop Police Services’ year-to-date crime statistics map available to residents on the city’s website.

A snapshot of some of the categories includes:

A large decline in the number of reported rapes. There were 5 in 2013, and only 1 in 2014 thus far. None were reported in December of 2013.

A decline in the number of robberies. Taking December of 2013 out of the equation, there were 24 robberies of 2013 compared to 17 this last year during the same time period. Two were reported during December of 2013.

A slight decrease in the number of burglaries. Removing December of 2013, there were 259 reported in 2013 and there were 258 reported in 2014. A total of 34 burglaries were tallied in December of 2013.

An increase in the number of larcenies. There were 291 reported through the first 11 months of 2013 and 325 reported during the same time frame in 2014. There were 25 reported in December of 2013.

An increase in the number of auto thefts. During the first 11 months of 2013 there were 78 cars stolen, and during the same period in 2014 there were 84 cars stolen. A total of 17 auto thefts were reported in December of 2013.

Lathrop Police Services is the beneficiary of recent funding from Measure C – the one-percent sales tax increase for public safety and general municipal use – that will be used to add a specialized team focused on street crimes as well as other sworn positions. The allotment is being overseen by an oversight committee made of community members, and the hiring has received the blessing of the Lathrop City Council.