Criminal Activity Dropped in LCF This Year

Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station officials say that crimes in La Cañada Flintridge have shown a decrease this year while crimes in La Crescenta have been on the rise.

Part 1 crimes, which encompass crimes against person (homicide, rape, aggravated assaults) and crimes against property (robbery, burglary, auto theft, arson and other theft) have gone down by about 25 percent.

"Basically, crimes have gone down overall just under 25 percent as far as Part 1 crimes go. In some categories, because there are very few crimes, we go zero to one and show a 100 percent increase and vice versa," said Lt. Joe Efflandt, of the C.V Sheriff's Station.

Crimes against a person have gone down by 5 percent since 2004 and crimes against property have gone down by about 26 percent, in the La Cañada Flintridge area.

In La Crescenta, crimes against person have increased by 75 percent since 2004 and crimes against property have increased by about 16 percent since 2004.

CV Sheriff's Station officials say that the increase is still a small one due to proportions.

"We saw an increase in some areas in different types of burglaries. Overall we have a decrease," Efflandt said.

"Burglaries were up, and like I said, we had recent burglary arrests. We have four in custody. Other than that the crime in comparison is very low," he added.

CV Station officials believe that burglary crimes will drop in 2006 since the four burglary arrests are probably connected to other burglaries in the area, Efflandt said.

The decrease in crimes is attributed to the deputies who patrol the foothill communities, Efflandt said.