A look at the crime Utahns commit


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DRAPER — With metronome-like consistency, Utah law enforcement officials respond to calls around the clock.

Utah's long-term crime data follows the nation's trend of declining criminality. Despite a slight bump the last two years, the latest 10-year trend shows Utahns committing 23 percent less crime than a decade ago.

While this is welcome news, a look at the 2013 Utah Department of Public Safety's latest crime statistics is still sobering. There were 92,459 crimes; 133,310 arrests made and nearly $100 million in property reported stolen.

According to the statistics, when broken down in a 24-hour period, the numbers were startling:

  • Arson — 0.64
  • Rape — 2.51
  • Robbery — 3.40
  • Aggravated assault — 10.26
  • Auto theft — 18.34
  • Larceny — 183.06

U.S. crime stats: 'The remarkable social phenomena of our time'

For decades, crime rates climbed upward. Over the last 25 years, though, crime rates cratered. According to the FBI's annual Crime Reports, total crime in America dropped from 14.21 million incidents to 9.795 million from 1989-2013 (most recent data available), making it all the more remarkable when considering the U.S. population grew a bit over 25 percent during the last quarter century.

Last year also saw the lowest rates in all major crimes — violent, property, murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny (theft), vehicle theft — in the last 25 years.

Theft: The common cold of crimes

Theft happens more often than any other crime. Every eight minutes a Utahn reports getting personal property stolen. KSL Investigators followed three recent robbery victims as they tried to recapture their stolen goods.

KSL-TV

1. A brick, broken glass and the basement of a band teacher's house

After a quick trip from his house, music teacher Brent Applonie arrived back home to a brick in his basement and a broken window.

"He had to be a pretty slender guy, but there was glass everywhere," Applonie said. "I came in here and all of my horns were gone. I was really angry."

No wonder. New, Applonie's brass instrument collection would cost more than $25,000.


I came in here and all of my horns were gone. I was really angry.

–Brent Applonie


The monetary value of the goods wasn't the only thing stolen from Applonie. Musicians have a special affinity — a relationship even — with their equipment. One can often spot an accomplished musician just in the way they converse about their favorite instrument.

"When they take something you've worked with," Applonie said, before a long pause. "Why couldn't they take something else, something that could be replaced? I had a soprano sax in the newest and best condition just sitting right there, but he didn't even touch it."

Every 41 minutes a Utahn reports a burglary — the unlawful, forced entry into a house or business to commit a felony or theft.

KSL-TV

2. After road trip to adventure race 'I just passed out on the couch'

After racing through fire, climbing obstacles and crawling under barbed-wire fences for the 13-mile Spartan Beast Race at Colorado's Breckenridge Ski Resort, Cameron Julian hopped into his 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser and headed for home. When he arrived in Draper 454 miles later he carried in one bag before collapsing on the couch.

When he awoke the next morning, his truck was gone. It didn't help he'd left his keys and wallet inside.

"I had that unsettling feeling in my stomach," Julian said. "Who do I call? What do I do? I immediately started calling my credit card companies, canceling my cards.

"Not only did they have my car keys, they had the house keys and garage opener as well. We had to change out all the locks and deadbolts at our house. It was definitely an unnerving feeling."

Every 78 minutes a vehicle like Cameron's FJ Cruiser is stolen in Utah.

KSL-TV

3. Who steals a 9-year-old's bike?

Dawn Wimmer joined forces with other Magna residents to combat community crime not long after her child's bike went missing from her family's driveway. All that was left was the snipped cord of her son's bike lock.

"Mom, go get my bike out of the garage. Where is it?" Wimmer remembers her son asking.

"I would love to but, uh, its gone," she told him.

"Stolen, from a 9-year old," Wimmer said. "Who does that?"

Utah averages 183 larceny-thefts like this stolen bike per day. The Wimmer family never saw their son's bike again.

In Magna, grassroots crime-stoppers unite

The Magna community watch uses a Facebook group page to stay up-to-date. The group posts about thefts, graffiti and suspicious people. Sometimes they even post to say all is perfectly quiet.


Look out your window; pay attention to what's going on. Don't just complain about the problems; be a solution to the problems.

–Dawn Wimmer


"I know this has prevented crime," Wimmer said of Magna's community watch group. "I'm impressed by the number of people who post and the awareness this brings."

At last count, the group stood at about 2,000 members.

"Look out your window; pay attention to what's going on," Wimmer added. "Don't just complain about the problems; be a solution to the problems."

Found downtown, complete with used syringes in the backseat

Four days after reporting it stolen, Salt Lake City police found Julian's truck downtown on a kitty-corner to Pioneer Park. The police staked out the FJ Cruiser for several hours, hoping to apprehend a stolen vehicle suspect.

When no one returned, the Salt Lake City Police Department called Julian. He rushed over from work. He found his abandoned truck packed with everything from an array of fast food wrappers to the title of another stolen vehicle to brand new towels, shorts, shirts and jeans bought with Julian's stolen credit card.

"There were also a bunch of needles and syringes and stuff," Julian said.

Getting behind the wheel again, Julian vigorously gripped the steering wheel before turning over the ignition. The 26-year-old said the odds were stacked against him once more sitting in this FJ Cruiser.

"It feels really, really good to have my car again," Julian said. "Now I can just get back to living my normal life again."

With one notable caveat, Julian says he'll never leave his keys in his car, no matter the circumstances or length of the road trip.

Down at the pawn shop

In Utah, the stolen good recovery rate runs about 25 percent. Like Julian's Toyota, Applonie's brass instruments beat the odds.


I don't know why I thought they're going to catch this guy, and I'll get them back. Thank goodness the police are pretty smart around here.

–Brent Applonie


When authorities arrived to survey the break-in, Applonie had serial numbers for the stolen gear at the ready. Police tracked the numbers to a nearby pawn shop. The same day the instruments were stolen, a 26-year-old pawned the cache of equipment.

The $25,000 worth of stolen equipment brought the suspect $350.

Getting his gear out of pawn shop purgatory cost Applonie $350. Still he sounded relieved to get all his band instruments back together.

"I don't know why I thought they're going to catch this guy, and I'll get them back," Applonie said. "Thank goodness the police are pretty smart around here."

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Debbie Dujanovic, Torin Koos

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