There is welcome news when reviewing the crime statistics released by the Alameda Police Department (APD) for the month of January 2025. Automobile thefts have continued to decline in Alameda, hitting a low of 35 thefts. Compared to last year at this time, this is a 72% decrease — January 2024 had 114 thefts. Additionally, 44 stolen vehicles were recovered in January 2025, more than the number stolen during the month.
Catalytic convertor thefts have slightly increased from 15 in December 2024 to 18 in January 2025. Car collisions have remained fairly steady, with 66. That’s more than two accidents a day — slow down and drive safely, Alameda!
Overall, officers received 6,134 calls for service. 614 reports were taken. There were 80 arrests, 17 robberies, and 12 aggravated assaults. There were 176 cases of larceny/theft offenses, down from 248 a year ago.
| Jan. 24 | Aug. 24 | Sep. 24 | Oct. 24 | Nov. 24 | Dec. 24 | Jan. 25 | Change Dec. – Jan. | % Change Dec. – Jan. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrests | 84 | 80 | 86 | 87 | 119 | 98 | 80 | -18 | -18.37% |
| Collisions | 48 | 75 | 64 | 80 | 64 | 59 | 66 | 7 | 11.86% |
| Auto Thefts | 114 | 60 | 56 | 53 | 52 | 51 | 35 | -16 | -31.37% |
| Recovered Stolen Vehicles | 109 | 82 | 49 | 68 | 58 | 45 | 44 | -1 | -2.22% |
| Robberies | 5 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 12 | 240.00% |
| Catalytic Converter Thefts | 5 | 12 | 18 | 19 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 3 | 20.00% |
| Assaults | 9 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 12 | -2 | -14.29% |
| Calls for Service | 5,301 | 6,025 | 5,975 | 5,923 | 4,987 | 5,530 | 6,134 | 604 | 10.92% |
| Reports Taken | 734 | 625 | 616 | 643 | 609 | 650 | 614 | -36 | -5.54% |
APD January 2025 incidents of note
Robbery: On January 3 at 5:50 p.m., officers were dispatched to a business in the South Shore Shopping Center for the report of an in-progress theft. While en route, the suspect brandished a knife at a sales associate. During an area check, the individual was located and arrested. A knife was recovered and the merchandise was returned to the store.
Fraud: On January 8 at 2:41 p.m., officers began investigating a potential fraud case. It was determined the victim’s credit card had been used multiple times without their knowledge, with fraudulent charges totaling over $1,700. On January 29, the suspect was located and arrested. The investigation led to the discovery of hundreds of pieces of stolen mail, including nearly 300 personal checks.
Fatal Collision: On January 15 at 6:24 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway and Coral Sea Street for the report of a collision involving a pedestrian and a motorist. The preliminary investigation suggests the pedestrian was crossing the street as the motorist was making a westbound turn when the collision occurred. The pedestrian sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital where they later succumbed to their injuries. The investigation remains ongoing.
Robbery: On January 19 at 12:59 a.m., officers responded to the 1700 block of Webster Street to investigate a potential assault. The victim was approached by three individuals who struck the victim and fled with their valuables. The victim sustained injuries and was treated by AFD. Detectives later identified the parties involved. One of the subjects was also being sought for a September 2024 robbery that occurred in Alameda. On February 3, during an unrelated call for service, officers located one of the suspects. They were taken into custody for the January and September robberies.
Theft: On January 29 at 1:16 a.m., officers responded to a business in the South Shore Safeway Shopping Center for the report of an in-progress theft. The suspect left the scene before officers arrived. During an area check, the individual was located and arrested.
Embezzlement: On January 29 at 1:44 p.m., officers responded to the 700 block of Buena Vista Avenue for the report of an employee embezzling money. Over several months, the individual stole over $8,500 from their employer. As the suspect reported to work, they were taken into custody.
The City and APD make these and other statistics available on the Alameda Crime Activity page of the City of Alameda website.
Jean Chen is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jean-Chen.
