CRIME SPREE DROPS T.O. TO NO. 3 ON LIST OF SAFE CITIES.Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Daily News Staff Writer Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. has been knocked from first to third place on the nation's safe-city list, a dip local officials blame on a one-man burglary spree. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. new crime statistics for the first six months of 1998, Thousand Oaks reported 9.86 crimes per 1,000 residents, behind Amherst Town, N.Y., with 8.72 per 1,000 residents, and Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. , with 9.26 crimes per 1,000 residents. But since the man responsible for several dozen residential burglaries in Thousand Oaks and Moorpark was caught and convicted a few months ago, Thousand Oaks officials said their chances of landing on top in the future are fairly good. ``My crystal ball doesn't tell me (where we'll be),'' said Kathy Kemp, commander of the east Ventura County sheriff's station. ``But I'll be in real trouble if we drop down below three. The City Council will want to know why. But with 8.7 and 9.3, there's not a big spread there.'' Kemp said the city's crime rate seems to have stabilized sta·bi·lize v. sta·bi·lized, sta·bi·liz·ing, sta·bi·liz·es v.tr. 1. To make stable or steadfast. 2. over the past few months, and aside from a smattering of residential burglaries, it has been going back down to normal. Simi Valley officials were excited about the new figures and the city's ranking in the top three cities The Three Cities is a collective description of the three fortified cities of Cospicua, Vittoriosa, and Senglea on the Island of Malta, which are enclosed by the massive line of fortification created by the Knights of St John, the Cottonera Lines. in America. Police Chief Randy Adams said there are several factors that go into maintaining the city's ranking, including a City Council committed to crime prevention, a strong police department and a population composed of many law enforcement personnel from other jurisdictions. ``Our partnership with the community is the No. 1 ingredient,'' he said. ``Our folks in this community just don't tolerate crime. They are our eyes and ears, and they work with us effectively to help suppress criminal activity . . . ``All those ingredients together help keep our city safe and help it not be a good location, if you will, to be a criminal,'' he added. ``Your chance of apprehension The seizure and arrest of a person who is suspected of having committed a crime. A reasonable belief of the possibility of imminent injury or death at the hands of another that justifies a person acting in Self-Defense against the potential attack. is certainly larger than it would be elsewhere.'' The latest FBI statistics, which covers cities with populations of at least 100,000, show a 5 percent nationwide decline in serious crime described as violent and property crimes. The statistics group crimes into murder, forcible forc·i·ble adj. 1. Effected against resistance through the use of force: The police used forcible restraint in order to subdue the assailant. 2. Characterized by force; powerful. rape, robbery, aggravated assault A person is guilty of aggravated assault if he or she attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another or causes such injury purposely, knowingly, or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life; or attempts to cause or purposely or , burglary, larceny-theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson arson, at common law, the malicious and willful burning of the house of another. Originally, it was an offense against the security of habitation rather than against property rights. categories. Overall, Simi Valley had a 3.3 percent dip in reported offenses, including a decline in murder rates from four to one and in robbery from 23 to 18. But in Thousand Oaks, there was a 4.4 percent increase in reported crimes, including an increase in the number of robberies from 17 to 20 and in burglaries from 188 to 225. The increase was largely attributed to a rash of burglaries by a former law enforcement officer who pleaded guilty to stealing from homes in the area between January and August. Dennis Wayne Spangler, 53, was captured four months ago as he left a home in Moorpark carrying jewelry jewelry, personal adornments worn for ornament or utility, to show rank or wealth, or to follow superstitious custom or fashion. The most universal forms of jewelry are the necklace, bracelet, ring, pin, and earring. in his pockets. The Van Nuys resident was sentenced to nine years in prison. Oxnard, the only other Ventura County city on the FBI's list, had about 23.5 crimes per 1,000 people, not quite high enough to pierce the top 10 but a relatively strong showing. Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks have long vied for the top position with Amherst Town, N.Y. - a suburb with a largely white collar population closely matching the east Ventura County cities. THOUSAND OAKS CRIME STATISTICS The following are preliminary figures for crime for the first six months on 1998 compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), division of the U.S. Dept. of Justice charged with investigating all violations of federal laws except those assigned to some other federal agency. : Crime 1997 1998 Murder 0 0 Rape 13 8 Robbery 17 20 Aggravated Assault 69 49 Burglary 188 225 Larceny/Theft 686 734 Motor Vehicle Theft Motor vehicle theft or grand theft auto is a criminal act of theft generally understood to refer to the stealing of automobiles, buses, motorcycles, snowmobiles, trucks, trailers or any other motorized vehicle legally allowed on public roads and highways, including attempted 98 82 Arson 17 2 Federal Bureau of Investigation SIMI VALLEY CRIME STATISTICS The following are preliminary figures for crime for the first six months on 1998 compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation: Crime 1997 1998 Murder 4 1 Rape 7 8 Robbery 23 18 Aggravated Assault 58 56 Burglary 261 239 Larceny/Theft 579 583 Motor Vehicle Theft 93 86 Arson 15 8 Federal Bureau of Investigation CAPTION(S): 2 Boxes BOX: (1) THOUSAND OAKS CRIME STATISTICS (see text) (2) SIMI VALLEY CRIME STATISTICS (see text) |
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