Valley Center overall crime rates dropped 16 percent from 2010 to 2014 and 14 percent in 2014 compared to 2013, according to a San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) report issued recently.
It was a mixed bag for Valley Center, however, with violent crime, although relatively low, increasing 37 percent from 2010 to 2014 and 35 percent from 2013 to 2014 while regional violent crime dipped 12 percent from 2010 to 2014 and six percent from 2013 to 22014.
Valley Center averaged 3.07 violent crimes in 2010, 3.10 in 2013 and 4.2 in 2014 per thousand people. Property crimes averaged 15.55 on 2010, 15.13 in 2013 and 11.35 in 2014, a 27 percent drop over the last four ears and 25 percent from 2013 to 2014, which outpaced overall county rates that dropped 16 percent from 2010 to 2014 and 17 percent from 2013 to 2014.
SANDAG’s “Thirty-Five Years of Crime in the San Diego Region: 1980 Through 2014” report found that Valley Center drop in crime rates was similar to the overall totals showing a 15 percent in county crime from 2010 to 2014 and 16 percent in 2014 from 2013.
Valley Center experienced 18.62 crimes per thousand residents in 2010, 18.22 in 2013 and 15.65 in 2014, according to SANDAG. This was about average for unincorporated San Diego County although far less than nearby Escondido, which averaged 32.17 crimes per thousand people in 2010, 31.22 in 2013 and 24.05 in 2014.
La Mesa and National City had the highest crime rates in the region. Del Mar was a close third, although much of that could be attributed to the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The lowest rate, by far, was 4S Ranch with 5.87, 9.29 and 6.32 per thousand people in 2010, 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Tale of the crime tape
SANDAG used the FBI crime index to peg the figures. That rate included homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft.
Overall, Valley Center experienced 455 crimes in 2010, 452 crimes in 2013 and 389 crimes in 2014. that included 75 violent crimes in 2010, 77 in 2013 and 104 in 2014. The community experienced 380 property crimes in 2010, 376 in 2013 and 284 in 2014.
During the period reported by SANDAG, Valley Center last experienced a homicide in 2013. As for 2014, the area experienced six rapes, 11 robberies, 88 aggravated assaults, 51 residential burglaries, 33 non-residential burglaries, 91 larceny more than $400, 66 larceny less than $400, and 43 motor vehicle thefts.
When it came to clearance rates, or crimes resulting in charges levied, meaning they were considered solved by police, Valley Center had a 47 percent rate in 2010, 52 percent in 2014 and 80 percent in 2014, a plus-33 percent rate from 2010 to 2014 compared to plus-10 percent for the county and 28 percent from 2013 to 2014 compared to no change for county rates.
As for property crimes, Valley Center clearance rates were 13 percent in 2010, 20 percent in 2013 and 20 percent in 2014, right around county averages. The dollar value or property stolen within Valley Canter was $931,214 for 2010, $797,298 in 2013 and $1.08 million in 2014.
Authorities recovered $285,876 in stolen property in 2010, $269,056 in 2013 and $306,798 in 2014. The property recovery rate was 31 percent in 2010, 34 percent in 2013 and 28 percent in 2014. Population in the Valley Center reporting area was put at 24,437 in 2010, 24,856 in 2013 and 25,020 in 2014.
