Saratoga News

Statistics show assaults down, but thefts are up in Saratoga

Officials blame freeway, increase in population

'It's not a crime wave'

By MICHELLE ALAIMO

Thefts are up and assaults are down in Saratoga, according to statistics compiled by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department Westside Substation comparing the first six months of this year to the same time last year.

"I think we're in good shape," Lt. Bill Slack said regarding the statistics.

Thefts are up 24 cases from last year. But, Slack said, "it's not a crime wave."

He attributes the rise in thefts to more people coming into town because of the new freeway and to Saratoga's growing population. The statistic involves all categories of thefts, including petty and grand theft.

Assaults are down to 39 cases compared to last year's 58. This category includes all types of assaults. Slack said a lot of these cases involve kids who get in fights.

Slack said he is concerned about burglaries and robberies, however. This year so far, there have been six robberies, two of them home invasions, compared with last year's three. Burglaries remain fairly constant, declining by just one incident, from 64 to 63.

"We key in on burglaries and robberies," Slack said, adding that this statistic is what the sheriff's office uses to set beats and distribute deputies. Slack said it's significant that the number of burglaries in Saratoga has barely decreased. He is hoping the figure willdrop further with Saratoga's bicycle patrols and four new night scopes. Slack said Cupertino sheriff's deputies have already seen a dramatic reduction in the number of burglaries on their beats since obtaining their night scopes. The scopes enable deputies to see more clearly in the dark and will be used by the swing and midnight patrols because Saratoga doesn't have streetlights, Deputy Mark Eastus said.

Vehicle thefts are up from six last year to eight this year. About 90 percent of auto burglaries happen at night, police said.

Homicides remain at zero this year, and rape cases are constant at one.

Despite the figures, Slack said residents need not feel overly concerned. As long as traffic and the amount of people entering and leaving Saratoga are monitored, he said, "everything will be OK."

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