The Advocate

(Photo credit: SF Chronicle ) If you live in the Bay Area, you've probably been inundated with hysteria about the local crime rate from catalytic converter thefts to store burglaries. So what's happening in San Leandro? Well, let's dig into the data.  https://www.sanleandro.org/449/Crime-Analysis . I looked at the December 2022 Uniform Crime Report (UCR) for the most recent data. Total YTD Crimes for 2022 are almost the same as they were in 2019, within 5% of each other. Thankfully, nearly all of that is property crime and not violent crime (property crime is, coincidentally, 95% of all crime in 2022 and 2019). Still, it's hard to call crime going back to pre-pandemic levels as we continue to transition out of the pandemic anything other than a return to normal. Albeit, a still unsatisfactory normal. I say unsatisfactory because total YTD arrests have continued to decrease significantly since 2017, when the high was 2,799 compared to 2022's 1,292. It's unclear

From the folks at the Sogorea Te' Land Trust : "We celebrate the strength, resilience, and beauty of our ancestors and relatives today and every day. Wherever you are, If you are not on your own ancestral lands,  learn more about the history of where you are, reflect on your own role in colonialism and structural inequality, do something to heal historical harms, and support your local Indigenous-led land work." Take note and take care. Art by Fernando Marti.

Let’s be honest: catalytic converter thefts are one of the only areas where crime is actually increasing in San Leandro. There isn’t a day that goes by where we haven’t heard about someone’s vehicle being vandalized. Why? Because the precious metals contained in most catalytic converters — platinum, rhodium, and palladium — are expensive and can sell for hundreds of dollars per piece. Due to the pandemic and rising costs of living, the resulting economic distress has made this a lucrative alternative for many criminals and those driven to desperation. Unfortunately, catching these thieves is extremely difficult. This is because the process of stealing this part from your car is relatively quick and simple. A catalytic converter can typically be removed in just a few minutes by using a saw or a wrench. Slicing through the piping on both sides of the converter before it’s pulled off is the most common method. Notably, SLPD’s clearance rate for property crimes, including catalytic convert