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Crime in Ventura increased in 2007, police say
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Violent and property crime both increased in Ventura in 2007, according to statistics released by the Ventura Police Department today.
Of the eight categories of so-called Part 1 crimes the department tallies for the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, six went up, according to Ventura police. The increases added up to a 4.7 percent uptick in Part 1 crimes overall.
The total number Part 1 crimes went up from 4,034 in 2006 to 4,222 in 2007.
Violent crimes went up from 335 to 368, a 9.9 percent uptick.
Robberies, which increased by 21 to 151, accounted for the biggest increase in violent crimes.
Aggravated assaults went up by nine, to 189, and reported rapes increased by three, to 27.
One homicide was reported in Ventura in 2007, the same number as in each of the two previous years.
The increase in robberies reflects a continuing trend: In 2006, the crimes accounted for the majority of a nearly 13 percent increase in violent crime in Ventura.
Last year marked the third year in a row Ventura police reported an increased number of violent crimes.
In a reversal from 2006, three of the four categories of property crimes grew in 2007.
Thefts accounted for the most of a 4.2 percent increase in property crime.
Also known as larcenies, the crimes went up by 129 to 2,733 in 2007. The total number of property crimes went up by 155 to 3,854.
Burglaries went up by 16, to 746, while arson incidents more than doubled, from 13 in 2006 to 27 in 2007. Ventura police attributed the increase in arsons to a rash of dumpster fires which stopped after a suspect was arrested.
Vehicle thefts decreased by four to 348 in 2007.
In 2006, all four main categories of Part 1 property crimes decreased.
Posted by Captn_Obvious on March 19, 2008 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's nothing more than a numbers game and how they report their crimes. My guess is that if they show there was an "increase in crime", then they feel they might justify their "taxing" of the 911 phone calls?
Hey I've got a crazy idea. Let's vote out the incompetents who can't manage the city's money correctly, and vote in people who won't need to keep taxing the residents for basic services.
Here's another whacky idea. Let's charge the police department each time they send us a crime report to fill out ourselves, rather than responding and doing it themselves like other cities do. We could give them an option of charging the city $15 each time we have to do our own reports, or, they could sign up for a monthly plan.
What do you want to bet that crime goes DOWN next year to show that the extra money "helped" them to "fight crime" in Ventura?
You know, at least when the proctologist is in my nether regions, I feel like he was gentle and at least cared for me. I don't get that same afterglow when dealing with the City of Ventura.
Posted by whatever on March 19, 2008 at 1:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No surprise there...the whole state is a pool of crime, so whats new!
Posted by peterpan11 on March 19, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So Oxnard crime rate goes down and Ventura goes up? WOW! Good job VPD.
Posted by highriseray1 on March 19, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lets see next year it will decrease cause no one will call 911 it cost money
Posted by FedUp on March 19, 2008 at 3:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to see some stats on crimes committed in ventura, and where the criminals are actually from.
not to downplay the crimes in ventura, but it seems as if a lot of the perps who are caught, come from SP, Oxnard, etc.
I think most of these stats are a little skewed anyways.
what area actually is considered ventura, anyways?
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