Report: Santa Cruz Crime Rate Increases 7 Percent In 2015

SANTA CRUZ - The City of Santa Cruz saw a 7 percent increase in crime, and on average Santa Cruz police received a call for service every five minutes last year, according to statistics released Monday by police.

The department managed 103,645 service calls, which surpassed the 100,000 mark for the fourth consecutive year, police said.

Of the city's two homicides, one was determined to be gang-related. There were 499 violent crimes reported, which is a 5 percent decrease from 2014, according to police.

The city also saw a decline in rape reports by 30 percent and aggravated assaults by 4 percent.

Property crimes including burglaries, car thefts and shoplifting bumped up by 9 percent, according to police.

Auto thefts went up by 20 percent to 300 and stolen bike reports increased 19 percent to 479 compared to 2014 numbers.

There were 300 auto thefts, which indicated a 20 percent increase from the 2014 total of 250, police said.

The department averaged 11.9 arrests daily, a decrease from an average 13.7 daily arrests the year before.

Police said there were 50 percent more trespassing citations issued and vandalism went up by 24 percent.

In the first two months of this year, overcall crime went down by 2 percent, according to the report.

-Bay City News contributed to this report; image, graphic via Santa Cruz PD Facebook page