Tucson has seen a significant drop in crime and traffic collisions following the closures of popular hangouts and because so many people are staying home during the pandemic.
There was a nearly 17% decrease in serious crimes from March 1 to April 16 compared with the same time last year, Tucson police said. That includes property crimes like robbery, burglary, larceny and auto theft.
“We simply don’t have the number of contacts with individuals that we used to, and they don’t have contact with each other,” said Assistant Chief Kevin Hall of the Tucson Police Department.
“I mean, there’s no bars open, any of those places where folks gather socially and where some of these issues could break out.”
Robbery incidents in Tucson were down only 1% from March 1 to April 16 compared with the same time last year. But they were down 13% this year compared with 2019.
“There’s just not the number of folks out there to be robbed,” Hall said.
Convenience stores and similar businesses that remain open during the pandemic make up the bulk of robbery reports to Tucson police now, he said. Still, those are down overall compared with this time last year.
Burglars foiled
Burglaries were down 24% from March 1 to April 16 compared with last year.
The burglary decrease can likely be attributed to more people being home during the day, prime time for burglars, police said.
“Generally burglaries occur during the daytime when people are at work,” Hall said.
Similarly, auto thefts were down 21% from March 1 to April 16 compared with last year.
“The cars aren’t out at parking lots,” Hall said. “They’re not in theaters. They’re not in the entertainment type of venues where there are large parking lots and people will frequently get their cars stolen.”
Crime has fallen similarly in Oro Valley, said Sgt. Amy Graham, a spokeswoman for the Oro Valley Police Department.
Serious crimes decreased 11% from March 1 to April 21, with most of the decrease in burglaries and larcenies.
Graham attributed the larceny decline to temporary store closures in the last month. That means less shoplifting.
The drop in crime didn’t happen in Marana. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said it didn’t see a decrease either, though it expects better data by the end of the month.
The Sheriff’s Department saw an almost 6% increase in crime from January to March compared with the same time last year, according to data provided by the department.
Burglaries decreased through the end of March compared with the same period last year, though the decrease was only in January and February. Numbers for April were not yet available.
Robberies for the Sheriff’s Department were higher overall for the first three months of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019, but there was a slight decrease in monthly robbery reports in March compared with January of this year.
Larceny reports this year almost mirror those of 2019, while auto theft has been higher every month this year through March compared with last year.
The Sheriff’s Department can’t correlate crime numbers through March with the pandemic, said Marissa Hernandez, spokeswoman for the department. The department doesn’t release crime data until after the end of each month, she said.
“I think we’ll know for sure at the end of April once we finally get those numbers,” Hernandez said of whether the pandemic is affecting property crime rates in the county.
Meanwhile, the Marana Police Department saw a 31% increase in property crimes from March 1 to April 20 compared with the same time last year. The figure includes robberies, burglaries, larcenies and shoplifting, according to data provided by the department.
The Marana Police Department separates its larceny and shoplifting reports.
Fewer wrecks
Traffic collisions have also declined during the pandemic.
Wrecks dropped by nearly half from February 29 to March 28 compared with the same time last year, said Hall, of the Tucson Police Department.
In Marana, vehicle collisions declined 38% from March 1 to April 20 compared with the same time last year.
In Oro Valley, vehicle collisions with property damage dropped from 39 in March 2019 to 29 in March 2020. And vehicle collisions with injury fell from 16 in March 2019 to seven last month.
“We like that we don’t have a lot of issues to begin with, especially with car accidents because of our heightened patrol,” Graham said. “But this has led to even lower numbers.”
Photos for April 23: Tucson gets by during Coronavirus Pandemic
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Erika Munoz, owner of Seis Kitchen, hands over a bag of meals to Michael Gallagher Carondelet, a registered nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital, to distribute to other nurses and hospital workers, on April 23, 2020. The donation was made in conjunction with A+C (Athletes/Artists+Causes) Foundation's “Project Frontline.” In two deliveries, 400 meals (200 poc chuck chicken and 200 puerco verde burritos) will be given to medical personnel at Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital. The particular donation was made possible by the Houston Astros' Pitching Coach Brent Strom, who lives in Tucson.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Hospital workers wheel in carts full of catered meals donated by Seis Kitchen to Carondelet St. Joseph's Hospital, on April 23, 2020. The donation was made in conjunction with A+C (Athletes/Artists+Causes) Foundation's “Project Frontline.” In two deliveries, 400 meals (200 poc chuck chicken and 200 puerco verde burritos) will be given to medical personnel at Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital. The particular donation was made possible by the Houston Astros' Pitching Coach Brent Strom, who lives in Tucson.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Kristi Hall, a sixth grade teacher at Desert Sky Middle School, participates in planning a lesson with a fellow teacher on Zoom, at her home on April 17, 2020. Schools in the Vail School District are supposed to open in July due to their year-round school calendar. Plans are being made for the possibility of students returning to the physical classroom.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Bry Kelley, a warehouse assistant, places a pallet filled with food down next to other items donated to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona on on April 21, 2020. Forty-one thousand pounds of flour, pasta and canned goods were donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The donation is part of an ongoing global effort by the church to address immediate needs of people and orgainzations due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Tucson, coronavirus
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A pallet of food is placed down next to other items donated to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona on on April 21, 2020. Forty-one thousand pounds of flour, pasta and canned goods were donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The donation is part of an ongoing global effort by the church to address immediate needs of people and orgainzations due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Tucson, coronavirus
Updated
Christian Bergman, 4th year University of Arizona medical student, takes the temperature of a patient outside the Z Mansion, 288 N. Church Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on April 19, 2020. Medical students from the University of Arizona and other universities volunteer to help the homeless population with the growing concerns of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) within the homeless population. “This is a vulnerable population in our community; they can’t defend themselves in a society already running short on supplies and resources,” said Bergman. Medical students and medical personal help by giving out food, drinks with electrolytes and masks to the homeless. Those who are sick, medically impaired or have been exposed to those with COVID-19 are isolated outdoors in tents on the property. As of Sunday April 19, there were 13 individuals whom are isolated in tents.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Lekha Chesnick, 1st year medical student at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, talks with a homeless man (whom choose to not give his name) outside of the Z Mansion, 288 N. Church Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on April 19, 2020. Medical students from the University of Arizona and other universities volunteer to help the homeless population with the growing concerns of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) within the homeless population. Medical students and medical personal help by giving out food, drinks with electrolytes and masks to the homeless. Those who are sick, medically impaired or have been exposed to those with COVID-19 are isolated outdoors in tents on the property. As of Sunday April 19, there were 13 individuals whom are isolated in tents.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Christian Bergman, 4th year University of Arizona medical student, checks on a patient outside the Z Mansion, 288 N. Church Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on April 19, 2020. Medical students from the University of Arizona and other universities volunteer to help the homeless population with the growing concerns of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) within the homeless population. “This is a vulnerable population in our community; they can’t defend themselves in a society already running short on supplies and resources,” said Bergman. Medical students and medical personal help by giving out food, drinks with electrolytes and masks to the homeless. Those who are sick, medically impaired or have been exposed to those with COVID-19 are isolated outdoors in tents on the property. As of Sunday April 19, there were 13 individuals whom are isolated in tents.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Elliott Dumont, owner of Roadrunner Bicycles, 6177 E. Broadway Blvd., works on a customer's bike on April 22, 2020. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has not slowed down bike shops. With many people at home, they are bringing bicycles for repairs and buying new ones for exercise. Dumont says he's booked out till the first week of May for tuneups on bikes.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Elliot DuMont, owner of Roadrunner Bicycles, 6177 E. Broadway Blvd., far left, helps Ethan Sasz, far right, and his son, Evan, 10, with a mountain bike purchase on April 22, 2020. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has not slowed down bike shops. With many people at home, they are bringing bicycles for repairs and buying new ones for exercise. Dumont says he's booked out till the first week of May for tuneups on bikes.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Marcella Montoya waits in her vehicle as general manger David Kessler brings out her order, as Bear Canyon Pizza serving their customers despite COVID-19 restrictions, April 22, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Kitchen manger Koa Hoffmann tosses dough while working up a crust for a call-in order as he and few others keep cooking at Bear Canyon Pizza despite COVID-19 restrictions, April 22, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Alvaro Enciso, a local artist, works in one of his studios at his home on April 9, 2020. Every Tuesday Enciso travels into the Sonoran desert to post crosses where migrants have died after crossing illegally over the U.S./Mexico border as part of a project he's titled Donde Mueren Los Suenos / Where Dreams Die. With the outbreak of the coronavirus disease his six year project is on hold and instead he works on other artwork at home.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Dolly Spalding works on a pen and ink drawing in her apartment at the Redondo Tower Apartments on April 7, 2020. During her quarantine, Spalding has been creating drawings of all the Greek goddesses. She is collaborating with Emlyn Boyle, an artist from Ireland, and plans to publish a book with Boyle's writings.
Tim Steller's column: Tucson's biggest homeless camp faces upcoming clear-out
