Reported crimes drop 24 percent in Poway in 2014

Reported crimes in Poway saw a significant 24 percent drop in 2014 when compared to the previous year, according to data compiled by a regional agency.

According to ARJIS (the Automated Regional Justice Information System), the overall number of crimes reported in Poway dropped 23.9 percent to 506 crimes in between Dec. 31, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2014, compared to 665 in 2013.

There was also 75 percent decrease in reported rapes, a 22.2 percent decrease in total violent crime, a 42 percent decrease in total burglaries, a 15 percent decrease in total thefts and a 24.7 percent decrease in total property crimes.

Poway did, however, see a 14.3 percent increase in reported armed robberies. There was also a small increase in reported thefts over $400 of half a percentage.

ARJIS data will be used when local crime rates are computed this spring by the San Diego Association of Governments.

Law enforcement in Poway is provided under contract with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

There were 70 violent crime reports in 2014, compared to 90 in 2013. Violent crimes reported in 2014 includes 2 rapes (down from 8 in 2013), 8 armed robberies (up from 7), 5 strong arm robberies (down from 9) and 55 aggravated assaults (down from 66). There were no murders reported in either year.

There were 98 burglaries reported in 2014, down from 170 in 2013, with 45 residential burglaries (down from 90) and 52 non-residential burglaries (down from 90).

There were 101 reports of thefts equal to or less than $400 in 2014, down from 170 last year, but reports of thefts greater than $400 increased to 205 in 2014, up from 204 last year.

Motor vehicle theft reports also saw a decrease in 2014, with 32 reported in 2014, down from 45 the previous year.

Total property crimes reported in 2014 dropped to 436, down from 575 in 2013.

“A lot of it can be attributed to deputies working very closely with the community to get arrests and get offenders off the street,” said Darlene Duncan, the crime prevention specialist for the San Diego Sheriff’s Department’s Poway station.

Duncan also said that increased safety awareness within the community could be a contributing factor to the drop in reported crimes. “Powegians should keep practicing safety measures,” she said, which include locking doors and setting alarms. “Prevention is important despite low crime. Poway is a tremendous community, let’s not leave it vulnerable to thieves.”