Serious crimes have risen 29 percent in Santa Monica between 2015 and 2018 and law enforcement has maintained that legislation that has decriminalized certain offenses has allowed repeat criminals to return to the streets shortly after being sentenced. The Santa Monica Police Department told the Daily Press last year that it arrests the same people frequently.

Property crimes and thefts drove much of Santa Monica’s crime increase last year, as they did in 2017 and 2016. There were 373 more thefts in 2018 than 2017 and 450 more serious crimes total.

Aggravated assaults and robbery made up 56.7 percent and 34.9 percent of violent crimes, respectively. 7.5 percent of violent crimes were rapes and .9 percent were murders. SMPD made arrests in 51 percent of the 273 robberies reported.

Read More: https://www.smdp.com/serious-crime-in-santa-monica-rises-8-8-percent/172447