Virginia Beach crime rate falls to 40-year low

Posted to: Crime News Virginia Beach
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By Duane Bourne
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 4, 2009

VIRGINIA BEACH

The crime rate continues to drop in the city, falling to its lowest levels in four decades, according to a report released today.

The rate of Part I crimes in 2008 was 31.8 per 1,000 residents, the lowest rate since 1967. Part I crimes include violent and property crimes. Violent crimes, including homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, decreased about 5 percent in 2008 compared with the previous year.

Of those crimes, the largest decline was in rapes, which dropped to 69 reported incidents, down nearly 33 percent from the 103 reported in 2007.

The lone increase came in vehicle thefts, up to 612 from the 563 reported in 2007.

“We recognize that these statistics mean little to those who were victimized, and that the current economic crisis may present us with new law enforcement challenges in the coming months,” Police Chief A.M. “Jake” Jacocks Jr. said in a news release. “Our citizens can rest assured that we remain committed to our mission. It is more important than ever that all members of our community partner with us in these efforts.”

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I guess...

Submitted by MCSEVA on Wed, 02/04/2009 at 10:20 pm.

I guess a big Congrats go out to Virginia Beach leaders and Police Department!

With that said and by the looks of things...I imagine most of the criminal Thugs have moved to Norfolk...(I couldn't resist :) )

It's consistent....

Submitted by donthate on Wed, 02/04/2009 at 10:09 pm.

Yes,,they are only "reported crimes", but all crimes are not reportable. The reports are generally for State statistics. All localities basically have the same reporting criteria.....sooooo,,,,it doesn't mean VB is trying to look good....because it's consistent among reportable crimes. I live in VB and do think that it's one of the safest per capita in Virginia...

I didn't know a house could be robbed?

Thoughts

Submitted by Bobbyv on Wed, 02/04/2009 at 9:14 pm.

Some people should probably not put their thoughts into words.

I agree with "reported crimes"

Submitted by pammos on Wed, 02/04/2009 at 7:57 pm.

I do agree with the statement of "reported crimes" because the crime here has gone way up...I don't know where they are getting their "facts" from but it is real bad anywhere in va beach now and I have been here for 23 yrs now and it is worse now than ever and I have lived in different areas here so I am not being Biased. Our house was robbed in december and we waited an hour and 20 minutes before an officer showed up and then she didn't to have to list all the things they were taken. She kept saying things like you are not finished yet? and wow my hand is getting so tired! Are you kidding me? that is part of their job too. I'm sorry that we had a crime against us and a lot of our stuff was taken that you have to write it down and then when you typed it up, you missed half of the items that we had you write down...probably because your hand was getting tired. Doesn't matter to you because it wasn't your stuff and your kids weren't hurt by it for getting the stuff taken and not having insurance (can't afford it)which means they probably will never see this stuff again but should the police care right? and yeah I was supposed to get a call from a detective who would be on the case an

FOP

Submitted by HM on Wed, 02/04/2009 at 7:05 pm.

FOP is right. When seconds count, the police are only minutes to a half-hour away.

Figures don't lie, but...

Submitted by FOP1811 on Wed, 02/04/2009 at 4:14 pm.

Figures don't lie, but liars figure. Last year a stranger entered my elderly mother-in-law's Virginia Beach house through door that was inadvertently left unlocked. When I confronted the stranger 30-40 feet inside the house, she reluctantly left. I called 911 and the police responded in about 25 minutes. The officer refused to take a report, arrest the woman (who was still nearby because drove her car into a ditch while trying to drive away) or obtain her identification so I could obtain an arrest warrant. I wonder how many times the VB police are called and refuse to take a report when a serious offense obviously occurred? Thank goodness I just happened to be visiting when this happened.

wait wait - somethings amiss, let's

Submitted by capt-carl-OV on Wed, 02/04/2009 at 3:33 pm.

rewrite the statement to read "REPORTED crime rates drop" there are so many crimes that are never reported because some consider to do so a waste of time. An officer won't come out to investigate, reporting the detail over the phone is encumbersome and then the horrors of embarrassemnt that we've been wrongs. so add 25 - 29 % more stats to the article to provide a truer reflection of all the crime occurring in the beach area. Oh, and another thing of truth, many crimes that occur in the public school systems are never recorded. especially in Norfolk.