Miami Beach – a wildly popular tourist destination that attracts millions to its beautiful beaches every year – led Florida in property theft, according to a recent report.
Researchers at SafeHome.org analyzed crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Crime Data Explorer to compile the latest statistics and trends in property and violent crime in the United States.
Miami Beach's property crime rate was reported as 8,557 incidents per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data from 2022. The report points out that the city's crime rates are much lower today than they were during the surge of violence and drug trafficking in the 1970s and 80s.
In comparison, Florida's total property crime rate is 1,566 per 100,000 people, nearly 400 points below the overall U.S. rate of 1,954 per 100,000. The Sunshine State ranks 36th overall for property crime.
The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.
The Florida city with the lowest property crime rate is Sneads, in Jackson County, with 229 per 100,000 people.
What is property crime?
The report considers larceny, theft, burglary and motor vehicle theft as property theft.
Local
Burglary is defined as any unlawful entry into a structure with the intent of committing a crime. Larceny has a broader definition – the unlawful taking of property that belongs to someone else – therefore, it's the most common type of property crime. Motor vehicle theft applies to automobiles like cars, SUVs and motorcycles.
Larceny is the most common type of property theft in Florida, with about 1,255 incidents per 100,000 people.
Recent incidents
A wanted serial criminal, who police say is responsible for multiple burglaries, thefts and other crimes, was taken back into police custody in August.
Christopher Pitre, a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history, had removed his ankle monitor and escaped a Miami-Dade Corrections treatment facility before stealing from a Walgreens. The 35-year-old is also accused of holding Miami Beach City Commissioner Joe Magazine at gunpoint in a parking garage earlier this year.
The incomplete picture
According to the FBI data, Florida's violent crime rate is 32% lower than the U.S. rate, and the property crime rate is about 20% than the national rate. However, SafeHome.org acknowledged that the data reported by law enforcement across the state covers only 31% of the population.
Read the full report here.
