It seems to be the day for statistics, because on the heels of the U.S. Census releasing population numbers, the sheriff’s department is updating their crime statistics and the outlook is good.

More than 100 pages of details showing preliminary reported crime statistics for the unincorporated communities and 42 contract cities policed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department can be found at www.lasd.org. Visit the “Crime Prevention and Information” page or access them directly at http://file.lacounty.gov/lasd/cms1_148405.pdf

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These include year to date (two month) 2011 reported preliminary crime statistics compared to 2010 and compared to five years ago (2006). Reported crimes for each sheriff’s station and city include homicides, robberies, burglaries, etc. (To review the statistics, open the file, right click with your computer mouse and use the search engine: http://file.lacounty.gov/lasd/cms1_148405.pdf).

As of the end of February 2011, preliminary reported crime data shows that reported overall incidents of violent crimes (Part 1) have declined 11.79 percent, and serious property crimes reported (Part I) have declined by 7.1 percent in Sheriff’s patrol areas countywide, compared to last year at this time. These numbers combine to show a 7.98 percent decrease in overall Part I crimes.

While violent crimes have been on the decline, property burglaries in Santa Clarita, especially those involving vehicles, have kept deputies busy. There are several things you can do to avoid being a victim, including the following:

• Don’t leave valuables in your car.
• If you must leave valuable items in your car while out and about, place items out of sight.
• Never open a trunk, fill it full of valuables, close it, and then just walk away.
• Once home, unload your valuables immediately. Do not store valuables in your car any longer than necessary, and definitely never overnight.
• Leave no trace. Don’t leave any sign that there might be valuables out of sight in your vehicle, such as docking stations or connector cables.
• Very few auto break-ins are random — thieves see something in plain sight that is valuable, or hints of possible hidden valuables
• Try to park in busy, well-lighted areas
• Lock all your vehicle’s doors even if you plan to be gone for only a brief time. It only takes seconds to steal your stuff! It’s not at all uncommon for thieves to walk down a row of parked vehicles and check car doors to see if they are unlocked. Don’t leave any window open or even cracked open, including vent/wing windows and sunroofs.
• As soon as you notice something’s stolen (or that your car has been broken into) do not touch/adjust anything in, on, or around the car. As soon as possible, call the police to report the incident and if possible, to have fingerprints taken.
• Do not confront anyone. Property can be replaced! Be alert, be aware, and be prepared to be a good witness.

As of the end of February 2011, preliminary reported crime data shows that criminal homicides in Sheriff’s patrol areas have increased by 11.11 percent (two homicides), compared to the same year-to-date (two-month) period last year (27 homicides last year compared to 29 this year). This follows a five-year overall decrease in homicides in 2010. 2010 had the lowest homicide rate (allowing for population changes) in Sheriff’s Department patrol areas since 1965.

To view the LASD 1960-2010 homicides and ratios, and 1960-2010 charts of Part 1 crimes and rate on the official website of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (http://www.lasd.org), click on the following link:
http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/media/detail/?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/lasd+content/lasd+site/home/home+top+stories/homicide_rate_declines_2010

To receive more detailed, up-to-date information directly from LASD via e-mail, register for “Nixle” alerts at www.Nixle.com or more directly at https://local.nixle.com/register/ and register for “LASD-Headquarters Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff” and your local LASD station area. Or, text your zip code to 888777 to receive text alerts only. Standard text messaging rates may apply, depending on your calling plan.

To access the new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Online Tool that makes decades of crime statistics research easier, go to http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gLAwgwcjfzdDPw9Hf3dAswNjcyCDLRDwfpwK3CyRwib4ADOBro-3nk56bqF2Rnpzk6KioCAMV4niQ!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfOTAwMEdPQlMyRzZNOTBJQ1Q2S1Y0UDFPMzA!/?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/lasd+content/lasd+site/home/home+top+stories/fbi_crime_tool
and logon to the following links: UCR Data Tool; Crime Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program; Crime in the United States, 2009.

Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local sheriff’s station. Or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.