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Property Crime Trends in Loves Park, Illinois: A Decade of Significant Improvement
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Loves Park, located in Illinois, presents an intriguing case study in property crime trends. From 2010 to 2022, the city experienced a significant decrease in total property crimes, dropping from 864 in 2010 to 342 in 2022, representing a 60.4% reduction. During this same period, the population slightly decreased from 29,981 in 2010 to 29,146 in 2022, a 2.8% decline.
Burglary rates in the city have shown a consistent downward trend. In 2010, there were 175 burglaries, which decreased to 45 by 2022, marking a 74.3% reduction. When analyzed per 1,000 residents, the burglary rate fell from 5.84 in 2010 to 1.54 in 2022. Interestingly, the city's share of state burglaries fluctuated, dropping from 0.32% in 2010 to 0.27% in 2022, with a low of 0.17% in 2020. This suggests that while burglaries decreased citywide, the reduction was generally in line with state trends.
Larceny theft, the most common property crime in the city, also saw a substantial decline. In 2010, there were 650 larceny thefts, which decreased to 256 by 2022, a 60.6% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents fell from 21.68 in 2010 to 8.78 in 2022. The city's proportion of state larceny thefts decreased from 0.39% in 2010 to 0.25% in 2022, indicating that the city's reduction in larceny theft outpaced the state average.
Motor vehicle theft trends showed more volatility. From 39 incidents in 2010, it decreased to 16 in 2017, but then rose to 41 in 2022. Despite this recent increase, the overall trend shows a slight increase of 5.1% from 2010 to 2022. The rate per 1,000 residents increased marginally from 1.30 in 2010 to 1.41 in 2022. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts decreased from 0.16% in 2010 to 0.14% in 2022, suggesting that the recent increase is part of a broader state trend.
Arson cases in the city remained relatively low throughout the period. From 4 cases in 2010, it decreased to 3 in 2022, a 25% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents decreased slightly from 0.13 in 2010 to 0.10 in 2022. The city's proportion of state arson cases fluctuated, increasing from 0.38% in 2010 to 0.45% in 2022, indicating that while arson cases decreased in the city, they decreased at a slower rate compared to the state average.
A strong correlation exists between property crime trends and median income. As the median income increased from $66,251 in 2013 to $71,702 in 2022, total property crimes decreased from 659 in 2014 to 342 in 2022. This suggests that improving economic conditions may have contributed to the reduction in property crimes.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029), we can expect the overall downward trend to continue, albeit at a slower rate. Burglaries and larceny thefts are likely to stabilize or decrease slightly, while motor vehicle thefts may continue to fluctuate or show a slight increase. Arson cases are expected to remain low but relatively stable.
In conclusion, Loves Park has demonstrated a significant improvement in its property crime rates over the past decade. The substantial reductions in burglary and larceny theft, coupled with the relatively stable trends in motor vehicle theft and arson, indicate effective crime prevention strategies and improving socioeconomic conditions. As the city moves forward, maintaining these positive trends while addressing the slight uptick in motor vehicle thefts will be crucial for ensuring community safety and well-being.
