APD releases statistics for December and all of 2023; two upcoming beat meetings
The latest report from Alameda Police Department (APD) shows that most crime figures have risen from November to December, and from 2022 to 2023. Most notably, a huge increase in car theft continues to vex the island city. December saw a nearly 15% increase in vehicle theft reports over the previous month, and an astonishing overall increase of 114% from 2022 to 2023—675 more cars were stolen this past year in Alameda.
In other numbers from the department, collision reports were up during the month of December by over one-third and reported assaults more than tripled. Officers made one more arrest than in November and recovered a total of 112 stolen vehicles. Robberies are trending downward, and catalytic converter thefts dropped again.
December 2023 Statistics
| Jul. 2023 | Aug. 2023 | Sep. 2023 | Oct. 2023 | Nov. 2023 | Dec. 2023 | Change Nov. – Dec. | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrests | 81 | 51 | 70 | 90 | 67 | 68 | 1 | 1.49% |
| Collisions | 59 | 65 | 53 | 64 | 48 | 65 | 17 | 35.42% |
| Auto Thefts | 94 | 139 | 127 | 137 | 118 | 135 | 17 | 14.41% |
| Recovered Stolen Vehicles | 124 | 121 | 105 | 153 | 99 | 112 | 13 | 13.13% |
| Robberies | 6 | 9 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 7 | -3 | -30.00% |
| Catalytic Converter Thefts | 16 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 6 | -10 | -62.50% |
| Assaults | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 233.33% |
| Calls for Service | 6,209 | 6,334 | 5,651 | 5,544 | 5,116 | 5,273 | 157 | 3.07% |
| Reports Taken | 699 | 705 | 720 | 789 | 682 | 774 | 92 | 13.49% |
2022 vs. 2023 reports taken
The report also included figures for all of 2023 [PDF] and when compared to 2022’s numbers, there are some troubling trends beyond the jump in reported auto thefts. In all, reports of crimes in the city of Alameda were up more than 25% from the year before. Petty theft reports increased by nearly one-third from 2022, and more robberies and burglaries were reported in 2023 than 2022, by 18.4% and 14.7% respectively. Vandalism reports were up by over 50%, and reports of embezzlement and fraud increased by 56%. And all other Part 2 crimes were up 37% over the previous year, a category that is not broken down further in their data.
The report detailed some areas of improvement as well. While fewer arrests were recorded in 2023, APD arrested over 18% more felony suspects than the previous year. Reports of rape, forgery, juvenile, and family crimes were much lower than in 2022. DUI and drug crime reports were also noticeably lower.
All reports taken
| 2022 | 2023 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Part 1 & Part 2 | 5,564 | 7,000 | 25.8% |
Part 1 crimes
| 2022 | 2023 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murder/Manslaughter | 1 | 1 | 0.0% |
| Rape | 22 | 13 | -40.9% |
| Robbery | 103 | 122 | 18.4% |
| Assault | 84 | 82 | -2.4% |
| Burglary | 266 | 305 | 14.7% |
| Theft >$400 | 1,257 | 1,232 | -2.0% |
| Theft $200-400 | 222 | 248 | 11.7% |
| Theft <$200 | 706 | 931 | 31.9% |
| Auto Theft | 592 | 1,267 | 114.0% |
| Arson | 18 | 21 | 16.7% |
| Total | 3,271 | 4,222 | 29.1% |
Part 2 crimes
| 2022 | 2023 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Assault | 402 | 410 | -2.0% |
| Forgery/Counterfeit | 64 | 14 | -78.1% |
| Embezzlement/Fraud | 266 | 415 | 56.0% |
| Vandalism | 395 | 598 | 51.4% |
| Weapons Offense | 54 | 47 | -13.0% |
| Sex Offense | 34 | 39 | 14.7% |
| Family/Child | 12 | 8 | -33.3% |
| Narcotics | 141 | 96 | -31.9% |
| DUI | 97 | 69 | -28.9% |
| Liquor Laws | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Drunk | 56 | 51 | -8.9% |
| Disturbing Peace | 1 | 7 | 600.0% |
| Vice/Gamble | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Juvenile (601 W&I) | 15 | 7 | -53.3% |
| All Other | 748 | 1025 | 37.0% |
| Total | 2,293 | 2,778 | 21.2% |
2022 vs. 2023 arrests
| 2022 | 2023 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | 1,028 | 850 | -17.3% |
| Juvenile | 42 | 45 | 7.1% |
| Felony | 327 | 387 | 18.3% |
| Misdemeanors/Infractions/Other | 743 | 508 | -31.6% |
| Total Arrests Made | 1,070 | 895 | -16.4% |
The City and APD make these and other statistics available on the Alameda Crime Activity page of the City of Alameda website.
Incidents of note
APD also called attention to the following incidents in their monthly report for December:
- Vehicle and Pedestrian Collision: On December 7 at 8:14 a.m., officers responded to the 1600 block of Fifth Street for the report of a collision involving a person driving a vehicle and two pedestrians. The preliminary investigation suggests the driver committed a vehicle violation that caused the collision. The pedestrians were taken to a local hospital for further medical evaluation.
- Negligent Discharge of a Firearm: Early in the morning of December 9 at 3:20 a.m., officers responded a report of a noise disturbance in the 300 block of Maitland Drive. The suspect surrendered after 40 minutes and officers located a firearm and evidence that the weapon had been fired from inside of the home. No injuries were reported.The suspect was taken into custody.
- Armed Robbery: On December 12 at 12:15 p.m., officers responded to a report of a robbery involving a firearm on the 1700 block of Webster Street. The victims were approached by three suspects demanding the victim’s property. All three suspects were taken into custody.
- Armed Robbery: On December 13 at 9 p.m., officers responded to an armed robbery report at a business at the South Shore Shopping Center. A loss prevention officer had attempted to prevent a theft, and in response the suspect brandished a firearm. During a search of the area, officers located the suspect and recovered a replica firearm. The stolen merchandise was returned to the business.
- Fatal Collision: On December 31 at 11:35 a.m., an injury collision involving one vehicle occurred at the 1300 block of Marina Village Parkway. When officers arrived, they discovered an adult with major injuries who died at the scene. Preliminary investigation suggests the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree. APD’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) has assumed the investigation.
Upcoming APD beat meetings
Officers will hold two upcoming beat meetings with the community at the Mastick Senior Center. The first, for Beat 21, will be held today, Tuesday, January 23, at 6 p.m. and the next, for Beat 22, will be held on Tuesday, January 30, at 6 p.m.
Adam Gillitt is the Publisher of the Alameda Post. Reach him at [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Adam-Gillitt.
