Serious Crime Rises by 10 Percent in Piedmont

Serious crime in Piedmont rose 10 percent in the first half of 2013 compared to the same period last year — although the second quarter of 2013 saw far fewer crimes than the first quarter, according to a report presented by Police Chief Rikki Goede to the Piedmont City Council this week.

The biggest percentage jump was in robberies, with 8 in the first half of 2013 compared to 2 in the first half of 2012. Half of the 2013 robberies occurred in January.

The most frequently reported crime was burglary, with 74 in January-June of 2013 compared to 55 in the same period of 2012. January of 2013 recorded the highest number of burglaries — 24 — for any single month in the part five years, Goede's report says. Overall, though, burglaries decreased slightly from the 80 incidents reported in the second half of 2012.

Auto thefts increased by 42 percent, from 19 in the first half of 2012 to 27 in the first half of 2013.

Assaults were also up, although the numbers were low: 2 in the first half of 2012, 3 in the first six months of 2013. Goede said that none of the 2013 assaults were random; in each incident, the suspect was known to the victim.

Some good news came with the figures for auto burglaries and non-burglary thefts — down 24 percent, from 79 in 2012 to 60 in 2013.

No criminal homicides or forcible rapes, and only one case of arson, occurred in the first half of 2013. No crimes in those categories were reported for the same period in 2012.

The report looked at criminal offenses that are reported to the U.S. Department of Justice under the Uniform Crime Report system. 

Goede's complete report and accompanying charts are available on the City of Piedmont website here.

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