Palo Alto, CA Crime Reports & Statistics

Law Enforcement officers are individuals who ordinarily carry a firearm and a badge, have full arrest powers, and are paid from governmental funds set aside specifically for sworn law enforcement representatives. (UCR Definition)

In 2009, Palo Alto, California law enforcement had 108 violent crimes reported. With a population of 59,490 in 2009, there were 18.2 occurrences of violent crimes per 10k persons in Palo Alto, California. The total known offenses in 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 62, 64 and 83, respectively .

Violent crime is composed of four offenses: forcible rape, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, aggravated assault, and robbery. Violent crimes involve force or threat of force. (UCR Definition)

Palo Alto, California had 1 murders in 2009. With a total population of 59490 in 2009, there were 0.2 occurrences of murder per 10k persons in Palo Alto, California. The murder rates in Palo Alto, California in 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 0, 1 and 2, respectively.

Murder and non-negligent manslaughter is the willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. (UCR Definition)

The total known offenses of aggravated assault in Palo Alto, California in 2009 was 69. Palo Alto had 11.6 occurrences of aggravated assault per 10k persons in a population of 59,490 in 2009. In Palo Alto there were 29 offenses in 2006, 18 in 2007, and 34 in 2008.

Aggravated assault is an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. The Program further specifies that this type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Attempted aggravated assault that involves the display of--or threat to use--a gun, knife, or other weapon is included in this crime category because serious personal injury would likely result if the assault were completed. When aggravated assault and larceny-theft occur together, the offense falls under the category of robbery. (UCR Definition)

In 2009, Palo Alto, California had 29 occurrences of robberies reported to the police. With 59,490 in 2009 people living in Palo Alto, in 2009 there were 4.9 occurrences per 10k persons. Based on statistics from the FBI, there were 32 robberies in 2006, 44 in 2007 and 42 in 2008.

Robbery is the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear. (UCR Definition)

A property crime includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. In 2009, Palo Alto, California had 1666 property crimes. The population in 2009 for Palo Alto was 59,490 in 2009; the number of violent crimes per 10k persons was 280.0. Looking back at the previous three years in Palo Alto, California, you will see that there were 1871 property crimes in 2006, 1440 in 2007 and 1744 in 2008.

A property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims. The property crime category includes arson because the offense involves the destruction of property; however, arson victims may be subjected to force. Because of limited participation and varying collection procedures by local agencies, only limited data are available for arson. Arson statistics are included in trend, clearance, and arrest tables throughout Crime in the United States, but they are not included in any estimated volume data. The arson section in this report provides more information on that offense. (UCR Definition)

The total known offenses of burglary in Palo Alto, California in 2009 was 267. Burglary is part of the violent crimes category. Based on the known offenses and its population of 59,490 in 2009 in 2009, Palo Alto, California had 44.9 occurrences of burglary per 10k persons. In Palo Alto there were 399 burglary offenses in 2006, 283 in 2007, and 366 in 2008.

Burglary is defined in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program as the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. The use of force to gain entry is not required to classify an offense as a burglary. Burglary in the UCR program is categorized into three sub classifications: forcible entry, unlawful entry where no force is used, and attempted forcible entry. (UCR Definition)

Did you know that a burglary occurs in the United States every 15 seconds? In 2008, there were 2.4 billion burglaries in just the U.S.A! Property loss due to burglary totaled $4.3 billion in 2008, with an average loss of $1,991 per occurrence. You may qualify for a FREE home security system; simply fill out the form on the top of this page to get a free, no-obligation quote and protect yourself from being part of these statistics.

Palo Alto, California had 1350 offenses of larceny-theft reported to the police in 2009. With 59,490 in 2009 people living in Palo Alto that year, there were 226.9 occurrences per 10k persons. Based on the statistics from the FBI, there were 1333 larceny-thefts in 2006, 1085 in 2007 and 1307 in 2008.

Larceny-theft (except motor vehicle theft) is the unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Examples are thefts of bicycles or automobile accessories, shoplifting, pocket-picking, or the stealing of any property or article which is not taken by force and violence or by fraud. Attempted larcenies are included. Embezzlement, confidence games, forgery, worthless checks, etc., are excluded. (UCR Definition)

In 2009, Palo Alto, California law enforcement had 49 motor vehicle thefts reported. With a population of 59,490 in 2009 in Palo Alto, there were 8.2 occurrences of motor vehicle theft per 10k persons. The total known offenses by law enforcement of this kind in 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 139, 72 and 71, respectively.

Motor vehicle theft is the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. The offense includes the stealing of automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, snowmobiles, etc. The taking of a motor vehicle for temporary use by persons having lawful access is excluded from this definition. (UCR Definition)

The total known offenses of arson in Palo Alto in 2009 was 33. Palo Alto, California had 5.5 occurrences of arson per 10k persons in a population of 59,490 in 2009. In Palo Alto, California, the known offenses of arson were 21 in 2006, 15 in 2007, and 13 in 2008.

Arson is any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc. (UCR Definition)