Assault and larceny crimes on the rise in South Lake Tahoe and County

Crime statistics for South Lake Tahoe, Placerville and the unincorporated area of El Dorado County have been released for 2015, and while some areas have seen a decrease in some types of crime, others have seen some significant changes between 2014 and 2015.

"These are the first statistics to include the aftermath of Proposition 47," Lt. Jim Byers of the El Dorado Sheriff's Office told South Tahoe Now. "While there are some significant statistical differences between 2014 and 2015, a majority of these changes represent the way some crimes are now being reported under this new legislation."

South Lake Tahoe saw a decrease in rape, robbery and burglary, but there was a drastic increase in the number of assaults and larceny. Domestic battery makes up a large percentage of the assaults in the community according to the SLTPD. One crime figure that shows up in past reports made by the city but will change in the future is fraud committed on Craigslist concerning vacation home rentals. While this is a crime, the crime was not committed in South Lake Tahoe.

Proposition 47 was passed by California voters in November, 2014 and now classifies non-serious, nonviolent crimes as misdemeanors instead of felonies unless the defendant has prior convictions for murder, rape, certain sex offenses or certain gun crimes. Approximately 10,000 prisoners were released after their crimes were reduced to misdemeanors. Law enforcement officers both locally and state-wide have stated that passage of the proposition has left more criminals on the street, thus an increase in crime is being seen.

South Lake Tahoe's figures for 2015 (with 2014 listed adjacent):
Homicide - 0 (0)
Forcible Rape - 6 (14)
Robbery - 19 (21)
Assault - 290 (77)
Burglary - 105 (147)
Larceny - 404 (332)
Motor Vehicle Theft - 38 (37)

Unincorporated areas of El Dorado County figures for 2015 (with 2014 listed adjacent):
Homicide - 9 (3)
Forcible Rape - 48 (36)
Robbery - 32 (23)
Assault - 776 (882)
Burglary - 579 (640)
Larceny - 1414 (1320)
Motor Vehicle Theft - 43 (21)

Placerville's figures for 2015 (with 2014 listed adjacent):
Homicide - 0 (0)
Forcible Rape - 3 (4)
Robbery - 2 (7)
Assault - 16 (46)
Burglary - 53 (58)
Larceny - 219 (187)
Motor Vehicle Theft - 57 (28)

The Placerville Chief of Police Scott Heller will be presenting his City's figures to the their City Council on Tuesday, February 9, 2016. "The State of California Realignment of Prisoners (AB109), implementation of Prop 47, and habitual transient offender challenges are all believed to be environmental factors influencing increases in property crime rate in the City of Placerville," his report says. "While violent crime is down, we continue to see rising crime among lower level property crimes (larceny and auto thefts).

Placerville has less than half the population of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Felony crimes changed to misdemeanors by Prop. 47:

Shoplifting - where the value of property stolen does not exceed $950
Grand theft - where the value of the stolen property does not exceed $950
Receiving stolen property - where the value of the property does not exceed $950
Forgery - where the value of forged check, bond or bill does not exceed $950
Fraud - where the value of the fraudulent check, draft or order does not exceed $950
Writing a bad check - where the value of the check does not exceed $950
Personal use of most illegal drugs