In 2023, the Bay Area of California experienced notable changes in crime trends, including a troubling rise in both property crimes and auto thefts. In San Francisco, violent crime showed a slight increase, about 3% from the previous year, largely driven by a significant 15% rise in robberies. Despite this increase, San Francisco’s violent crime rate remained lower compared to other major cities in California, like Los Angeles, Fresno, and Sacramento. However, Oakland recorded a much higher violent crime rate, with more than double the number of violent crimes per 100,000 residents compared to San Francisco.
While vehicle thefts have spiked across the US and Canada in recent months, 2023 was a banner year for motor vehicle thefts in San Francisco in particular, with a shocking 64% rise over the 2018 rate. This surge in vehicle thefts positioned San Francisco as a vehicle theft hotspot in California. Efforts to address motor vehicle thefts became a top priority for the San Francisco Police Department, with strategies including the use of automated license plate readers and collaborations to recover stolen vehicles.
While vehicle thefts spiked, other major property crimes in San Francisco showed a decline. Theft from vehicles, or larceny theft, which includes incidents like snatching a purse from a car, decreased by 12% in 2023 compared to 2022. The city also saw a 10% reduction in larcenies citywide, breaking the upward trend observed in the previous two years.
Across the bay in Oakland, car thefts saw an even more dramatic increase, with a more than 50% rise in stolen vehicles compared to 2022. This marked a significant escalation in property crime in the city, contributing to the broader public concerns about increasing lawlessness and property crime since the Covid lockdowns.
The latest annual report from California’s Department of Justice presents a compelling narrative about the evolving landscape of crime in the state. The year 2022 marked a notable uptick in both violent and property crimes, highlighting an emerging challenge for communities, especially in the Bay Area. Specifically, the report discloses a significant 6.2% increase in property crimes, accompanied by a more alarming 10.2% rise in robbery incidents compared to the previous year. These figures are not just statistics; they echo the growing apprehension among Californians regarding their safety and the security of their possessions. This trend is particularly pronounced in the Bay Area, where the surge in crime rates has become a focal point of public concern and debate.
With these concerns in mind, multifamily residential property owners and managers are likely seeking additional ways to assure their communities are well-protected in 2024. In this Arrest of the Month video, Stealth’s live video monitoring surveillance solution helped catch a group of thieves raiding the lobby of a Bay Area apartment building red-handed.
Just before 5:00 a.m., Stealth security professionals monitoring a Bay Area apartment building noticed unusual activity as three individuals, one who appeared to have some access to the building, began taking multiple items from the main lobby. Local police were immediately contacted due to the nature of the activity being observed. Responding officers arrived and could be seen making contact with the trio, taking them into custody without further incident.
Head into the New Year with Proactive Multifamily Residential Security on Your Side
Whether they’re stuffing stolen mail and packages down their shirts, tossing vending machine items at one another, breaking into storage units, or simply prowling parking facilities in search of open vehicles or items to steal, criminals can wreak havoc on multifamily residential communities in a wide variety of ways. Communities in California are especially aware of these issues- but much like the example we set at CORE Apartments in Anaheim, live video monitoring- a proactive security solution- can make a huge difference in helping to deter and disperse criminal and unwanted activity.
Time and time again, property management has seen that relying solely on traditional methods like passive surveillance cameras and physical barriers can fall short in effectively deterring criminal activities. These conventional approaches, while useful, have limitations. They are often circumvented or ignored by intruders, trespassers, and loiterers. Additionally, while surveillance can retrospectively confirm a crime, it lacks the immediacy of intervention, especially without real-time monitoring.
Enter the realm of proactive security solutions, epitomized by live video monitoring. This advanced approach can transcend the limitations of traditional security. Stealth’s live video monitoring system exemplifies the shift towards a more engaged and responsive security strategy. By integrating sophisticated video analytics that focus on specific activities rather than mere motion detection and employing a team of trained security professionals to monitor surveillance feeds in real time, our solution offers real-time surveillance with a significant difference.
At the heart of Stealth’s system are the security operators, diligently overseeing key areas of your property, which allows them to not only monitor but also to interact proactively when they identify suspicious behavior. They can deploy audible warnings to deter potential offenders effectively, or in cases where auditory alerts are insufficient, they have the capability to directly contact local law enforcement and provide live, detailed information about crimes in progress. This ability to offer real-time intelligence often results in a higher priority response from law enforcement agencies.
For those managing multifamily residential communities or properties and seeking a robust, proactive, and cost-effective security solution, Stealth’s live video monitoring offers a compelling option. It can not only enhance security but can also offer significant savings compared to traditional security guard services- as much as 60%. Contact us today and speak with a multifamily residential security specialist for details and a free quote.
Texas Private Security License Number: B14187
California Alarm Operator License Number: ACO7876
Florida Alarm System Contractor I License Number: EF20001598
Tennessee Alarm Contracting Company License Number: 2294
Virginia Private Security Services Business License Number: 11-19499
Alabama Electronic Security License # 002116
Canada TSBC License: LEL0200704
