Santa Maria’s crime rate trend has fallen significantly since 2022, according to the Santa Maria Police Department’s statistical analysis.

Overall, Part I crimes decreased by 30 percent in Santa Maria during the first four months of 2024 compared to the same time period one year earlier. This follows a 28 percent reduction in Part I crimes in 2023 compared to 2022.

Part I crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Comparing January to April of 2022 to 2024, overall crime has decreased by 46 percent.

The number of motor vehicle thefts has substantially decreased, which Chief Marc Schneider attributes to the city’s deployment of automated license plate readers beginning in January 2022.

Motor vehicle thefts totaled 1,152 in 2022, dropped to 751 in 2023 which was a 35 percent reduction, and there were 147 stolen vehicles during the first four months of 2024, which is a 65 percent reduction when compared to the first four months of 2022.

The Police Department posts crime statistics in its annual report posted online at www.cityofsantamaria.org/police.