Petty theft ranked No. 1 among serious crimes in West Hollywood last month, with 58 incidents reported to the Sheriff’s Station.
That figure, part of the monthly crime report by the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, is an increase of 16% from December 2016. Petty theft is theft of something worth $950 or less.
The number of petty thefts on the city’s Westside was 28, an increase of 25% from December 2016. On the Eastside petty thefts increased 5% to a total of 21. The City Center reported 12 incidents, an increase of 20% over last year.
Vehicle burglaries, a constant issue in West Hollywood, ranked No. 2 among all serious crimes, with 34 of them reported citywide last month. That represents a 79% increase from the 19 reported in December 2016.
Vehicle burglaries were particularly common on the city’s Westside, home to most of its nightlife. There 17 were reported, an increase of 183% over December of last year. The number of vehicle burglaries on the city’s Eastside doubled to a total of eight. And in the City Center the number was nine, as it was in December 2016.
The biggest percentage increases in the city overall involved incidents of grand theft and of burglaries of commercial buildings. There were 10 of those burglaries last month, up 150% from the four reported in December of last year.
Incidents of grand theft, which means theft of something valued at more than $950, were up 146%, with a total of 32 reported. Sixteen of those occurred on the city’s Westside, 10 on the Eastside and six in the Center City area.
With only five reported, Residential burglaries showed a sharp decline 55%. Another significant decline was in aggravated assaults, with only two reported, a 50% decline.
