The total number of Part 1 crimes reported in West Hollywood from January to October 2024 fell to 1,770, a 14.24% decrease compared with the 2,064 incidents recorded during the same period in 2023, according to data set to be presented to the Public Safety Commission on Tuesday. This overall decline reflects a broad reduction across multiple categories, but notable spikes and decreases in specific crimes paint a more complex picture of safety trends in the city.
West Hollywood reported its first homicide of the year in August, compared with zero homicides in the same period in 2023.
Reported rapes decreased significantly, from 24 cases in 2023 to 14 in 2024, marking a 41.67% decline. Aggravated assaults saw a slight increase of 2.34%, rising from 128 to 131 cases. Subcategories of aggravated assault revealed nuanced shifts, with assaults involving guns increasing by 42.86%, from seven to 10 incidents. Knife-related assaults rose by 8.33%, while assaults using other weapons dropped 18.57%. The largest spike occurred in assaults involving hands, fists, and feet, which rose 81.25%, from 16 to 29 cases.
Domestic violence incidents remained stable, with six cases reported in both 2023 and 2024. Assaults against peace officers dropped from five to two cases, a decline of 60%, while child assaults saw one reported case, where none were recorded in 2023.
Property crimes, the most significant component of the city’s crime statistics, showed sharp decreases. Burglaries fell 17.11%, from 304 in 2023 to 252 in 2024. Residential burglaries increased by 14.46%, rising from 83 to 95, while other burglary subcategories showed declines. Business burglaries dropped 27.27%, mailroom burglaries fell by 41.27%, and thefts from secure garages rose slightly by 7.32%.
Theft from motor vehicles decreased by 49.79%, with 238 cases in 2024 compared to 474 in 2023. Vehicle burglaries saw a steeper decline of 51.69%. Theft of vehicle parts also dropped substantially, with grand theft of vehicle parts plummeting 74.19%. Petty theft from vehicles remained stable, with no change from the four cases reported in 2023.
Robbery cases fell 14.61%, from 89 in 2023 to 76 in 2024. Armed street robberies declined by 19.23%, from 26 to 21. Other armed robberies rose slightly, increasing by 33.33%, from six to eight incidents. Strong-arm robberies showed mixed trends: street robberies decreased by 6.67%, while robberies in other locations fell 58.33%.
Shoplifting dropped significantly, with a 32.29% decline in total cases, from 223 in 2023 to 151 in 2024. Petty theft shoplifting plummeted 48.34%, while grand theft shoplifting rose by 21.28%. Armed Estes robberies, a subcategory involving force or intimidation during shoplifting, tripled from three to nine incidents, while strong-arm Estes robberies fell by 68.18%.
Other theft categories revealed contrasting trends. Grand theft pickpocketing dropped by 35.41%, while petty theft from buildings and other locations surged 65.05%, from 309 in 2023 to 510 in 2024. Bike thefts showed stability in grand theft cases, but petty theft bike cases fell sharply by 57.89%.
Auto thefts dropped 21.21%, with 104 cases reported in 2024 compared to 132 in 2023. Arson incidents saw a dramatic decrease of 78.57%, with three cases in 2024 compared to 14 the previous year.
Monthly Variations
The data suggests seasonal patterns in specific crime types. Property crimes, particularly theft and burglary, tend to peak during the winter and early spring months, reflecting a possible correlation with holiday shopping and travel. Conversely, violent crimes such as aggravated assaults showed consistent activity throughout the year, with occasional spikes in late summer and early fall.
January and February: The year began with a total of 204 reported Part 1 crimes in January, the highest monthly total for the year. February saw a significant drop to 147 incidents, reflecting a reduction of over 25%. This decline was most notable in burglaries, which decreased from 36 to 20 cases, and theft from motor vehicles, which fell from 19 to 29. Violent crimes such as aggravated assaults also saw a reduction, dropping from 15 in January to seven in February.
March and April: Crime levels rebounded slightly in March, with 173 incidents reported, followed by an uptick in April to 187. This increase was driven by a rise in theft and burglary cases. Residential burglaries climbed from nine in February to 13 in March before falling to eight in April. Meanwhile, theft from motor vehicles remained consistently high, with 21 cases in March and 25 in April. Violent crimes also showed variability, with aggravated assaults increasing from nine in March to 13 in April.
May and June: May marked the beginning of a plateau in overall crime, with 193 cases reported, a slight increase from April. This trend continued into June, with 198 incidents reported. While theft and burglary rates stabilized, certain categories showed notable changes. Aggravated assaults remained consistent, with 11 cases in both months. Vehicle-related thefts saw minor increases, particularly in grand theft unlocked vehicles, which rose from nine in May to three in June. Shoplifting incidents also surged during this period, with 19 cases in May and 23 in June.
July and August: The summer months brought a slight decline in overall crime, with 189 cases reported in July and 185 in August. This period saw a sharp rise in aggravated assaults involving knives and other weapons, which increased to four in July and remained consistent in August. Vehicle burglaries, however, showed a decline, dropping from 22 cases in July to 12 in August. Residential burglaries also saw a reduction, with 10 cases in July and nine in August.
September and October: Crime rates reached their lowest point of the year in September, with 131 incidents reported. This decline was particularly notable in theft from motor vehicles, which fell to 15 cases, the lowest monthly total for this category. However, October saw a rebound to 168 incidents, driven by an increase in violent crimes such as aggravated assaults and a resurgence in burglary cases. Residential burglaries, which had dipped to six in September, more than doubled to 14 in October.
Crime has been dropping nationwide.
This is no surprise.
LOL how fudged is this report?