Reports down 42% from July 2024, more than 56% from August 2023
Reports of vehicle theft in Alameda wax and wane with each month, leaving the impression that the problem may be difficult for the Alameda Police Department to manage. But in August, numbers dropped significantly from July, which had hit a recent high of 106 vehicles reported stolen.
APD took 46 fewer reports last month, or just 60 in total for August, an average of two vehicle theft reports per day. That is the lowest number recorded since the Alameda Post began reporting on these statistics in May 2023. The drop is even more significant when compared with reports from one year ago—in August 2023, 139 vehicles were reported as stolen, an average of about 4.5 cars per day in the city of Alameda.
Metrics released by the APD show that robberies and catalytic converter thefts were down by about half from the previous month, while there was an uptick in assaults and auto collisions. Officers issued 125 traffic citations and 153 warnings, including nine DUIs.
Other offenses recorded during the month included two for counterfeiting or forgery; 40 reports of property destruction or vandalism; 53 reports of shoplifting; 31 drug, narcotic, and equipment violations; three reports of arson; and 13 reports of aggravated assault. No reports of homicide, rape, prostitution, or human trafficking were recorded.
The total number of calls received and reports taken by the department were down from the previous month. Officers arrested 80 people in August. Of those, only one was a juvenile. Among the arrests, 31 were for felonies, and the rest comprised misdemeanors, infractions, and other offenses.
| Aug. 23 | Mar. 24 | Apr. 24 | May 24 | Jun. 24 | Jul. 24 | Aug. 24 | Δ Jul. – Aug. | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrests | 51 | 114 | 91 | 94 | 96 | 89 | 80 | -9 | -9.57% |
| Collisions | 65 | 69 | 72 | 67 | 71 | 59 | 75 | 16 | 22.22% |
| Auto Thefts | 139 | 94 | 74 | 98 | 87 | 106 | 60 | -46 | -62.16% |
| Recovered Stolen Vehicles | 121 | 99 | 83 | 94 | 90 | 93 | 82 | -11 | -13.25% |
| Robberies | 9 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 4 | -7 | -77.78% |
| Catalytic Converter Thefts | 2 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 22 | 12 | -10 | -66.67% |
| Assaults | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 4 | 66.67% |
| Calls for Service | 6,334 | 5,468 | 5,621 | 5,625 | 5,713 | 6,224 | 6,025 | -199 | -3.54% |
| Reports Taken | 705 | 700 | 637 | 707 | 655 | 702 | 625 | -77 | -12.09% |
The following incidents represent a selection of the police activity that took place last month:
Burglary: On August 11, at 7:45 a.m., APD officers were called to the 500 block of Palace Court for the report of a residential burglary. However, the burglary likely occurred in the middle of the night and the suspect was no longer at the scene. However, the suspect returned to the area at 7:30 p.m. and was arrested.
Negligent discharge of a firearm: On August 18, at 3:49 p.m., officers responded to the 1900 block of Shoreline Drive because of a disturbance inside of a residence. While on the phone, dispatchers heard a gunshot. Officers determined the suspect discharged the firearm from a balcony before leaving the area. No injuries were reported. At 6:30 p.m., the suspect was identified and arrested on the 1200 block of Park Street.
Collision: On August 21, just after 11 a.m., a vehicle collided with a city utility pole on the 500 block of Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway, causing minor damage. When officers arrived, the driver was unresponsive. While they did not appear to have outward injuries, the driver died while being transported to the hospital. The cause of the collision and the driver’s death remain under investigation.
Armed Robbery update: On July 29, just before 8:30 p.m., officers received a report of an armed robbery at a business in the 2600 block of Fifth Street. A suspect demanded money from the store’s employees and left the scene. Two weeks later, on August 14, officers arrested an individual for their role in the robbery. At that time, a second individual was arrested for an outstanding warrant connected to a separate incident.
A complete monthly summary of Alameda Police data can be found online at the Alameda Crime Activity page.
Adam Gillitt is the Publisher of the Alameda Post. Reach him at [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Adam-Gillitt.
