Crime climbs in Newport Beach

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT-MESA -- Newport Beach saw a 9.3% increase in crime last year

compared with 1999, while Costa Mesa enjoyed a 4.4% decline, according to

a report released Tuesday by the California Department of Justice.

In Newport Beach, the biggest increase was seen in thefts. They went

up from 1,417 in 1999 to 1,624 in 2000 -- almost a 13% increase.

Officials attribute that increase to a high number of cellular phone

thefts being reported, as well as the Police Department’s new reporting

techniques.

“We don’t know why so many people are reporting cell phone thefts,”

Lt. Doug Fletcher said. “It could be because they are expecting to be

reimbursed by their insurance company.”

But, he said, cellular phone thefts have played havoc with Newport

Beach’s numbers.

“It’s the single major factor that has influenced our statistics,” he

said.

But the department also reported more incidents in 2000 because of a

new and improved method of crime reporting, Fletcher said.

“We have a new records management system that makes our reporting more

efficient and also makes us better at tracking information,” he said.

Fletcher said the department will continue to focus on its most

aggressive programs, such as Problem Oriented Policing and Crime

Prevention.

“Our Crime Prevention officer works in tandem with our crime analyst,

and together they track trends and problems we need to attack,” he said.

Costa Mesa, despite the decline in total number of crimes, saw a 21%

increase in auto thefts, a problem the department has been grappling with

for several months.

There is no specific reason why auto thefts go up or come down at any

given time, said Lt. Dale Birney, the department’s spokesman.

“The way we deal with it is we track specific areas in the city where

the thefts are happening and step up enforcement in those areas,” he

explained.

Birney said last year there were more auto thefts than usual because

the city was attacked by a Santa Ana theft ring that sent out junior high

and high school students to steal cars from various Orange County cities.

At least three members of the ring were arrested last month, he said.

This is the seventh or eighth year in a row that Costa Mesa has seen a

decline in crime, Birney said.

“There are many factors to it,” he said. “They could be as

far-reaching as the economic situation to enactment of certain laws

targeting specific criminal activity.”

Overall, Orange County crime rate was down almost 3% from 1999. The

statistics show that the county’s crime has declined 43% since 1991.

Statewide, the crime rate was up 1%.

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .

BOX

CRIME STATISTICS

COSTA MESA

INCIDENTS 1999 2000 %Willful

homicide 4 2 -50

Forcible rape 29 22 -32

Robbery 106 72 -47

Aggravated assault 180 179 0

Burglary 489 437 -12

Motor vehicle theft 380 484 +21

Larceny-theft 2,420 2,266 -7

Arson 17 10 -70

Total 3,625 3,472 -4.4

NEWPORT BEACH

INCIDENTS 1999 2000 %Willful

homicide 0 2 +200

Forcible rape 5 8 +37

Robbery 31 19 -63

Aggravated assault 89 75 -19

Burglary 460 487 +5

Motor vehicle theft 137 134 -2

Larceny-theft 1,417 1,624 +13

Arson 7 19 +63

Total 2,146 2,368 +9.3