Property crime drops in 4S Ranch during 2014

Property crime decreased by 33 percent in 4S Ranch last year, compared to 2013, according to statistics by the Automated Regional Justice Information System.

The decline in 4S Ranch was mirrored by its neighbor to the east, Rancho Bernardo, which also experienced a sharp decline in property crimes during 2014. (For details, see the related article that can be found here.)

While the City of San Diego’s recent data posted on its police department website includes actual crimes committed and crimes per 1,000 residents — the latter a way to compare safety among its 125 communities — the ARJIS website only provides actual crime data for communities throughout the county. This includes 4S Ranch, an unincorporated community whose law enforcement is provided through the sheriff’s department.

Overall, there were 121 crimes reported in 4S Ranch last year, 54 fewer than the 175 reported in 2013.

Property crimes accounted for 109 of the incidents in 2014, down from the previous year’s 163. The most prevalent crime — and one with largest decrease — was theft, which went from 109 incidents in 2013 to 68 in 2014 (a decrease of 41).

Last year the thefts were divided almost evenly between those over and under the $400 threshold, with those at or over $400 accounting for 35 of the thefts and those under for the other 33. In 2013, there were 49 thefts of items worth $400 or more and 60 under that amount.

There were 20 residential burglaries last year, down from the 23 that occurred in 2013; and 14 commercial burglaries last year, six fewer than the 20 committed the year prior. There were also seven vehicles stolen, down from the 11 taken in 2013.

4S Ranch once again experienced 12 violent crimes, the same number it had in 2013. There were eight aggravated assaults (down from nine in 2013), three armed robberies both years and in 2014 there was one reported rape (none were reported in 2013).