Report: Violent crime rate in T.O. remains historically low





Crime in Thousand Oaks has been at a relative standstill for the past two years, with only a 1 percent decrease between 2014 and 2015.

Statistics released by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office last month show the total number of Part I crimes, which include all violent and property offenses, were 1,721 in 2015 compared to 1,732 in 2014, an average of five per day.

Commander Tim Hagel, chief of police for Thousand Oaks, said in an interview he’s most encouraged by a 45 percent drop in burglaries.

“It means, in short, fewer families and businesses were burglarized. That dramatically drops the crime rate in the Conejo Valley,” he said. “A lot of the burglaries in the Conejo Valley were done by knock-knock crews.”

A knock-knock burglary is when someone knocks on the door of home, and if no one answers they then go around back, break in and burglarize the residence. Hagel said a majority of criminals who commit burglaries in Thousand Oaks drive in from Los Angeles County.

Although the overall crime rate was down in the city in 2015, some offenses saw a spike in numbers.

Among property crimes, arson saw an 80 percent increase, from five to nine instances. Reported instances of auto and grand theft also rose by 9 percent.

In total, property crimes decreased by 1 percent, from 1,604 instances to 1,585.

The total number of violent crimes in the city rose by 6 percent, from 128 to 136, in 2015.

Rape saw a 4percent increase, from 25 to 26. Hagel said the higher instances of rape being reported in recent years are due to a reclassification by the FBI to be more inclusive of different types of sexual assault.

“There were many types of sexual assaults that were not previously tracked nationwide,” he said. “Out of the 26 for 2015, only eight of those would have been reported (under the old classification).”

Aggravated assaults jumped from 80 to 87. Assaults involving feet or hands in particular saw a 62 percent rise, from 26 to 42 instances, in 2015.

Hagel said these kinds of crimes are typically harder to prevent and numbers can fluctuate randomly from year to year.

Often drug and alcohol use are a factor, which adds to their unpredictability.

Despite a higher rate of violent crimes last year, Hagel said, the rates for 2014 and 2015 have been the lowest the city has seen for 20 years.

“You’re safer in the Conejo Valley today . . . than you were in 1992,” the chief said. “When it comes to crime, you were two to three times more likely to be victimized in 1992 than today in all categories.”

In 2015 there were 1.05 violent crimes per thousand people living in Thousand Oaks and 0.99 in 2014. The countywide average in 2015 was 1.54.

In addition to the work of officers, Hagel said, Thousand Oaks’ reputation for safety can be attributed to the vigilance of residents, who call police when they see suspicious behavior.

Over 22,000 calls were received by the Thousand Oaks Police Depart last year, he said.

Hagel said it’s important for residents to report any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

“We’re hovering around 100 police officers in town with 350 miles of streets to patrol; you can’t track every criminal by yourself, you just can’t do it,” he said. “To have that relationship with the community to call us is key in keeping the crime rate down.”