By Chris Rosier, Mount Pleasant Police Department Public Information Officer
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Jan. 13, 2020) - The preliminary data for the crime statistics
for 2019 indicates good news for Mount Pleasant residents. Even though the
Police Department experienced a 9.4% increase in calls for service from 113,443
to 124,150, this did not correlate into an increase in the crime rate. Violent
Crime (Robbery, Murder, Forcible Rape, and Aggravated Assault) dropped a
dramatic 25.2% from 127 to 95 incidents. Non-Violent Crime (Burglary,
Larceny-theft, Motor Vehicle Theft, and Arson) increased slightly from 1,366 to
1,381 incidents (1.1%).
The largest contributing category of the crime
rate increase was Theft From Motor Vehicle, which went from 308 incidents in
2018 to 428 incidents in 2019 (39% increase). Representing 29% of our crime
statistics Theft From Motor Vehicles is an area The Police Department needs the
community’s help to reduce.
Our 9 PM Routine and Lock it Lose It Campaigns
are simple prevention reminders to make it harder for criminals to find victims
of opportunity. With 73.3% of the vehicles entered being unlocked, the simple
acts of locking your vehicle and putting away your valuables can directly
impact the crime in our community.
As we celebrate the successes of the previous
year, we are vigilant in our approach to ensure 2020 is safer yet.