Overall crime in the county's unincorporated areas rose roughly 10 percent in 2011, mainly due to an increase in property crimes, according to data released by the Merced County Sheriff's Department this week.
The numbers, which detail Part 1 crimes, are submitted to the FBI every year. Part 1 crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, auto theft, theft and arson.
The department reported 3,389 Part 1 crimes in 2011, compared with 3,076 in the prior year. Violent crimes rose slightly, about 1.14 percent, with 1,060 incidents last year, compared with 1,048 in 2010.
Property crimes rose more dramatically, 14.8 percent, with 2,329 incidents reported in 2011, compared with 2,028 in 2010. Thefts took up the lion's share of property crimes reported in 2011, up 26.7 percent from the 1,227 thefts reported in 2010 to 1,555 last year.
Despite the overall rise in crime, there were encouraging signs in the numbers. Homicides in unincorporated areas fell 72 percent. The department reported three homicides in 2011, compared to 11 in 2010.
All three of the homicides investigated by the department last year were either solved or resulted in an arrest. In 2010, all but two homicides were solved or resulted in an arrest.
Among violent crimes that decreased in 2011 were robberies, down 16.3 percent, with 41 incidents reported, compared to 49 in 2010.
Sheriff Mark Pazin said much of the increase in property crimes can be attributed to metal thefts, which remain a problem in the county, especially in rural farming areas. Pazin said metals have increased in value, and the thefts can be hard to track, particularly after the stolen items have been sold to recyclers and scrap metal companies.
Pazin said his department is working to address the problem. "We work hand-in-hand with the recyclers here in Merced County. Our detectives have a good rapport with those folk," he said. "But, just like anything else, the crooks have learned to circumvent the law."
Substance abuse is a primary motivator for thefts, Pazin said. "We still have a large population that are addicted to drugs and alcohol. And the quick fix is to burglarize or rip off somebody else to obtain some cash to support their drug habit," Pazin said. "It's unfortunate. We have to try to get our arms around that."
The number of rapes reported by the department remained unchanged at 22 in 2010 and 2011. Assaults increased 2.9 percent, with 994 reported last year, compared with 966 in 2010.
Burglaries fell 1.4 percent in 2011, with 767 incidents reported, compared with 778 the prior year. Vehicle thefts also went down, with four reported in 2011, compared with 16 in 2010. Arsons decreased by more than half in 2011, with three reported, compared with seven in 2010.
Fourteen homicides were reported last year in Merced County, which includes six cities and unincorporated areas. There were 28 homicides reported countywide in 2010, the most reported in the county's history.
Managing Editor Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsunstar.com.
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