As Manteca started opening back up, crime started climbing in May.

A resurgence of criminal activity in year-to-year comparisons was expected after all felonies fell an unprecedented 50.45 percent in April when the full extent of the COVID-19 lockdown was in place.

Even so, May 2020 to May 2019 comparisons for all felonies saw a 20 percent drop. That allowed all felonies for the first five months of this year to be down 33.43 percent as opposed to the same period in 2019. All misdemeanors for January through May were down 17.16 percent compared to the first five months of 2019. Overall burglaries in May to May comparisons were down 30.91 percent based on May crime statistics compiled by the Manteca Police Department.

There has been one murder so far this year in Manteca compared to none in the first five months of the year. Arson, grand theft, and robbery are the only other felony categories trending up so far this year. The biggest gain percentagewise was arson that went from 4 in May 2019 to 9 last month.

Among the felony categories in May to May comparisons that experienced declines were auto burglary dropping 40 percent going from 195 in May 2019 to 117 in May 2018, unlawful intercourse/rape dropped 56.25 percent going from 16 to 7, vehicle theft down 27.08 percent going from 144 to 105, residential burglary down 27.78 percent going from 54 to 39, and aggravated assault down 4.88 percent going from 41 to 38.

Misdemeanors in May to May comparisons have dropped 32.69 percent. Narcotic offenses are down 69.7 percent going from 33 in May of 2019 to 10 in May of 2020, alcohol offenses are down 50 percent going from 28 to 14, and domestic violence is down 21.88 percent going from 32 to 25. Fraud or forgery jumped 38.89 percent going from 18 to 25.

Non-criminal reports are down 32.12 percent so far in 2020 compared to the first five months of last year went from 987 to 670. Service requests were down 16.74 percent going from 22,146 to 18,483.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com