TRUST ▪ CARE ▪ COMMITMENT
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
Memorandum
To: Tom Kisela, City Manager
From: Dan Adams, Chief of Police
Date: March 4, 2024
Re: 2023 Crime Report
__________________________________________________________________________________ For over 50 years, our department, along with 18,000 other police departments, has been providing crime statistics to the FBI through the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. In January of 2021, the FBI shifted from utilizing the UCR Summary Reporting System (SRS) to collect crime data to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) as the national standard for crime data reporting. NIBRS is a much more comprehensive data collection system that captures details on each single crime incident as well as on separate offenses within the same incident.
For the 2022 data year, and to provide nationally representative data, the FBI still accepted UCR summary data submissions from agencies that had not yet fully transitioned. This interim measure ensured more complete data as agencies continue the transition to NIBRS. In late 2022, the FBI granted our department certification to transition to NIBRS.
Due to the transition and change in reporting requirements, a crime data comparison between the years of 2022 and 2023 cannot be reflected accurately, and therefore, will not be listed in this report. In accordance with NIBRS, crimes will now be listed in one of two category types – Crimes Against Persons or Crimes Against Property.
2023 Crimes Against Persons Offenses
• HOMICIDE - There was a total of 5 homicide offenses reported in 2023.
o One homicide involved a suspect who resides in an adult residential facility and stabbed another resident with a knife. The suspect was arrested.
o One homicide involved a gang member who shot and killed the victim during an argument. The suspect was identified and has been arrested.
*Negligent manslaughter including DUI and reckless driving are included per NIBRS .
o Three homicides involved vehicular manslaughter.
▪ One incident involved a suspect who was driving under the influence who killed two pedestrians. The suspect was arrested.
▪ One incident involved a suspect who failed to stop at a red light and killed a bicyclist. The suspect has been identified and the investigation is ongoing. • SEXUAL ASSAULT - There were 9 Sexual Assaults reported in 2023. o 2 incidents occurred after the victim met the suspect online. A suspect has been arrested in one incident and the victim in the other incident does not desire prosecution. o 1 incident occurred after the victim accepted a ride from a rideshare service. The victim does not desire prosecution.
o 1 incident occurred when the victim met the suspect in the parking lot of Walmart and agreed to enter his vehicle. The suspect was arrested.
o 1 incident occurred when the victim, a runaway, met the suspect as she walked along The City Dr. by the Outlets and agreed to walk with him to a secluded area. The victim does not desire prosecution.
o 4 of the incidents involved a suspect known to the victim (half-brother, acquaintance, and friend). ▪ In one incident, the case was sent to the District Attorney and was rejected for lack of sufficient evidence.
▪ In two incidents, the victims do not desire prosecution. ▪ One incident is still under investigation.
• AGGRAVATED ASSAULT - There were 206 Aggravated Assaults reported in 2023. o 44 aggravated assaults involved brandishing a weapon. o 61 aggravated assaults involved domestic violence.
o 11 aggravated assaults involved family members.
o 7 aggravated assaults involved child abuse/endangerment. o 15 aggravated assaults were gang related.
o 1 aggravated assault involved road rage and a firearm. o 11 aggravated assaults involved the use of a vehicle as the weapon. o 7 aggravated assaults were committed against police officers/medical personnel. o 6 aggravated assaults were related to bars (Paul’s, District Lounge, Second Base, Snooze, Capri Bar, and La Jaiva).
o 21 aggravated assaults involved incidents between roommates, friends, neighbors , acquaintances, co-workers.
o 22 aggravated assaults involved suspects not known to victims. Suspects were arrested in 135 aggravated assaults. 19 of them were transients.
2023 Crimes Against Property Offenses
• ROBBERY - There were 97 reported Robberies in 2023.
o 25 out of the 97 robberies occurred at The Outlets.
*Robbery is now categorized under crimes against property, per NIBRS. ▪ 17 of The Outlet Robberies were “Estes” robberies where the suspect(s) stole an item(s) from a commercial store and threatened force or used force when confronted by an employee. The force ranged from verbal threats, threat of a simulated weapon, brandishing a knife, brandishing a taser, brand ishing a firearm, and physical assaults including pushing/punching/etc.
▪ 1 of The Outlet Robberies was domestic violence related. ▪ 1 of The Outlet Robberies involved a carjacking.
▪ 5 of The Outlet Robberies involved groups of juvenile suspects. ▪ 1 of The Outlet Robberies involved 3 suspects who brandished a knife at a couple and demanded their property.
o 26 of the 97 robberies were street robberies. 4 occurred in city parks (Olive, Grijalva and Hart Park)
o 1 incident was a home invasion robbery.
o 3 incidents were carjackings.
o 11 incidents were robberies of commercial establishments (gas stations, businesses, bank). o 7 incidents were domestic violence related.
o 2 incidents occurred as the result of an online arrangement to meet and purchase an item. o 4 incidents involved family members/acquaintances/friends. o 1 incident resulted after a traffic collision.
o 1 incident involved a road rage incident in which a bicyclist cut off the suspect’s vehicle. o 3 incidents involved jugging in which the suspect(s) followed the victim to a location after they retrieved money from the bank or purchased a large amount of cigarettes and stole the items. o 13 incidents were Estes robberies that did not occur at The Outlets. Suspects were arrested in 41 robberies. 8 of them were transients. • COMMERCIAL BURGLARY - There were 350 Commercial Burglaries reported in 2023. o There were 113 reported storage burglaries, 14 of which the report was generated online. o 228 commercial burglaries occurred at a variety of commercial establishments such as restaurants, retail/jewelry/department stores, gas stations, pharmacies, schools, medical clinics/hospitals, and other commercial buildings.
o There were 7 burglaries of smoke shop/liquor stores in which the suspect(s) targeted cash, cigarettes, and lottery scratchers. This type of burglary was not only occurring county wide, but throughout Southern California.
o There were 2 burglaries at BevMo . A commercial burglary crew from Los Angeles , usually consisting of 4 -5 suspects, was targeting BevMo Stores across Southern California , from San Diego to San Bernardino County. 3 known suspects were arrested by Menifee PD. 32 commercial burglary cases were linked to suspects who were arrested and charged. • RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY - There were 168 Residential/Garage Burglaries reported in 2023. o 125 burglaries were residential. 31 of the 125 residential burglaries backed up to a greenbelt, horse trail, hillside, or freeway access in which the suspects appeared to utilize. The typical method of operation is to enter the second story rear slider or window. o Residential burglary crews from South America are targeting cities across Orange County. Their typical method of operation is to use rental cars to surveil neighborhoods and break into residences that appear unoccupied and often back up to a greenbelt or open land. o There were 43 garage burglaries.
29 residential burglary cases were linked to suspects who were arrested and charged. • THEFT FROM VEHICLE - There were 501 Theft From Vehicles reported in 2023. o Top locations of th efts include: The Outlets and surrounding areas (38), 850/1000/1055/1110/1235 W. Town and Country (30), 3063/3099/3101 W. Chapman (22), and La Veta Monterey Condominiums (13).
Suspects were arrested in 11 of the thefts from vehicles. 2 of them were transients. • STOLEN VEHICLE - There were 372 Stolen Vehicles reported in 2023. o Most common vehicles stolen: Chevy/GMC trucks (59), Ford trucks/vans (37) and Toyotas (41). o The Outlets and surrounding area had 27 stolen vehicles. o The other common theft locations are 3063/3099 W Chapman parking structures (8), and Town and Country parking structures (11).
Suspects were arrested in 24 stolen vehicle reports. 2 of them were transients.
ORANGE POLICE DEPARTMENT
2023 CRIME STATISTICS
JAN
2023
FEB
2023
MAR
2023
APR
2023
MAY
2023
JUN
2023
JUL
2023
AUG
2023
SEP
2023
OCT
2023
NOV
2023
DEC
2023
CRIME CATEGORY
HOMICIDE 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 2 1
SEXUAL ASSAULT 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1
AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS 12 21 11 10 17 24 22 20 15 20 12 22 CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS TOTAL 15 22 11 12 17 24 23 20 16 22 14 24
ROBBERY 8 5 7 7 8 6 6 7 9 17 10 7
COMMERCIAL BURGLARY 42 38 20 38 35 21 26 32 29 21 29 19 RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY 10 18 16 11 11 9 12 21 14 10 20 16 THEFT FROM VEHICLE 52 59 51 27 44 49 39 41 39 37 33 30
STOLEN VEHICLE 41 36 30 31 27 31 29 35 38 27 19 28
CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY TOTAL 153 156 124 114 125 116 112 136 129 112 111 100