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Burglaries plunge 17% in Manteca during 2019
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All classes of burglaries — residential, commercial, auto, and others — plummeted 17.36 percent in Manteca during 2019.

Burglaries numbered 719 last year as opposed to 864 in 2018.

The most stunning number by far based on annual Manteca Police Department crime reports is residential burglaries. There were 110 in 2019 down 32.52 percent in 2018 when there were 163 burglaries.

The number of burglaries is the lowest since at least 2000. It is almost exactly 38 percent less than the peak year for burglaries when there were 1,101 committed in Manteca in 2011 when there were 16,800 less residents than the 85,000 there are today.

More significantly is the burglary rate per 1,000 residents was nearly half in 2019 compared to 2011. That is reflected by 8.4 burglaries per 1,000 in 2019 as opposed to 15.9 in 2011.

The reason why the crime rate per 1,000 used by agencies ranging from the FBI to local police departments is simple — raw numbers for crime don’t provide the perspective of an increase in the number of potential victims.

The crime per 1,000 takes into account population growth to put numeric increases or decreases into perspective for an apple to apple comparison in terms of overall burglaries and felonies. It why is is the matrix the FBI uses to determine crime rates and the relative safety of communities

Per 1,000 resident data punches large holes in the argument that crime is increasing as Manteca grows.

In raw numbers all felonies were down 7.8 percent in 2019 with 4 of the 11 categories known as Part One Crimes were up — rape, grand theft, arson, and homicides. Misdemeanors were down overall dropping 1.34 percent to 3,164.

Highlights from the 2019 Manteca crime report:

*There were 3 homicides compared to none in 2018.

*Aggravated assault was down 26.67 percent going from 118 to 87.

*Residential burglaries were down 32.52 percent going from 163 to 110.

*Commercial burglaries were down 33.95 percent going from 162 to 107.

*Robberies (stealing by force or use of a weapon) were down 31.96 percent going from 97 to 66.

*Vehicle thefts were down 25.72 percent going from 381 to 283 and way below the record of 798 recorded in 2007 when  2.18 vehicles were stolen every 24 hours compared to less than one a day in 2019.

*Narcotics offenses are up 42.24 percent going from 238 to 339 for the second straight year of double digit increases

*Alcohol offenses were stagnant at 257 exactly each year.

*Pursuits were down 34.21 percent going from 33 to 25.

*Use of force was up 68.42 percent going from 19 to 32.

*Service requests were up 10.85 percent going from 46,256 to 51,275.

*The felony you are most likely to be a victim of is auto burglary. There were 474 auto burglaries in 2019 compared to 478 in 2018. The next felony you are likely to be a victim of is vehicle theft.

 

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com