West Hollywood’s Eastside, whose residents have expressed concern about what they see as an increase in crime, saw decreases in two types of serious crimes last month over March 2017.
On the Eastside there were 17 reports of Petty Theft, which is defined as theft of property worth less than $950, a 23% decrease from the 22 incidents reported in March 2017. There were five reports of vehicle burglaries last month, a 38% decline from eight in March 2017. There were eight incidents of aggravated assault, defined as an assault involving a weapon, a 300% increase of the two reported in March 2017.
That data is part of a monthly report by the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station that shows the number of Part 1, or serious, crimes in various parts of the city.
The report does not document arrests for minor crimes such as theft of items valued at less than $950 or minor acts of vandalism. Those crimes are often cited most often by Eastside residents concerned about the impact of the homeless in their neighborhoods.
The report shows a 37% increase in serious crimes in the city overall. The increase was 56% in the City Center, the area from La Cienega Boulevard to Fairfax Avenue, and 47% increase on the Westside, which ranges from La Cienega Boulevard west to Doheny. The Eastside saw a 17% increase in crimes in March over the same month last year.
Petty Theft was the largest crime category in West Hollywood last month, with 47 reports, up 15% from March 2017. The second largest number of serious crimes involved vehicle burglaries, of which there were 43, an 87% increase from the 23 in March 2017. That was followed by Grand Theft, theft of property valued at $950 or more, of which 31 incidents were reported last month. That was a 158% increase over the 12 incidents reported in March 2017.
Vehicle burglaries accounted for the largest single number of crimes in the Center City area, with 13 of them last month, up 160% from March 2017. That was followed by Grand Theft, theft of property valued at $950 or more, of which there were eight reports, up 300% from two in March 2017.
On the Eastside, the largest increases involved Aggravated Assault (assault using a weapon of some type), up 300% to eight instances, and five reports of grand theft auto and of arson, each a 400% increase from reports of those crimes in March 2017.
Petty Theft was the largest crime category in West Hollywood overall last month, with 47 reports, up 15% from March 2017. The second largest number of serious crimes involved vehicle burglaries, of which there were 43, an 87% increase from the 23 in March 2017. That was followed by Grand Theft, theft of property valued at $950 or more, of which 31 incidents were reported last month. That was a 158% increase over the 12 incidents reported in March 2017.
