While the rate of serious crimes in West Hollywood last month was flat compared to the same month the year before, car break-ins continued to climb.
A report from the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station 170 incidents of serious crime reported last month, up only slightly from the 167 in September 2016.
However, there were 33 vehicle burglaries, a 32% increase over the 25 in September 2016. Fifteen of those occurred on the city’s Westside, a 200% increase over last year. Thirteen occurred in the Center City area, an increase of 117%. On the city’s Eastside, car burglaries were down 64% with a total of five reported.
Petty theft, defined as the theft of property valued at less than $950, accounted for most of the cities serious crime, with 57 incidents. That was pretty much equal to the 57 reported in September 2016. The city’s West Side saw a 28% increase in petty theft incidents, with a total of 32, compared with six (down 54%) in the Center City and 19 (down 5%) on the city’s Eastside.
The other major crime category, grand theft (theft of property worth $950 or more), was up 35% citywide, with 23 incidents reported in September 2017. The biggest percentage increase (70%) occurred on the city’s Westside, where 17 incidents were reported. Incidents of that crime were stable in the Center City area (six, versus six in 2106) and on the Eastside (19, compared with 20 last year).
