Assaults up, burglaries down as coronavirus keeps Fort Worth families home, data shows
When coronavirus came to Texas, it forced us to stay inside. Bars closed and restaurants emptied. Our cars sat at the end of driveways and on the sides of streets for days on end. We stayed in our homes, some of us with family, others alone, but the lights were left on and the doors kept locked.
Coronavirus affected the way we communicate with our friends and family, how we work and play — and it also affected crime rates, for good and bad.
Fort Worth’s stay-at-home order went into place on March 24.
Assaults
Police were called to more aggravated assault cases than in previous years.
“The economic stress in some families can cause a huge impact in personal relations, some people lost their job and this puts a lot of pressure in some households,” officer Daniel Segura said.
Officers have recommended that families take a walk when things get difficult.
“It is not easy to go on as ‘normal’ when the bills keep piling up, and this could affect the way we respond to stressful situations and possibly resulting in violence,” he said.
There were 258 reported aggravated assault cases during the order. There were 186 in 2019 and 175 in 2018.
Of the cases this year, 49% of them were labeled as family violence or assault against someone in the same household.
Driving while under the influence
It’s not really a surprise that DUI cases declined during the 30-day period in 2020 versus previous years. From March 24 to April 24, the Fort Worth Police Department investigated 31 cases, 94 less than they investigated in 2018.
Segura said the drop in cases is attributed to bars, clubs and restaurants being closed.
Burglaries
When people are home, Segura said they’re less likely to be the victims of a burglary.
“Burglars know that there is a high possibility that someone will be home, that is a huge deterrent for committing burglaries,” he said. “This also includes all the neighbors looking out for each other since a lot of family members are home at one point during the day.”
During the first 30 days of the stay-at-home order, there were 292 reported burglaries in the city. Last year, there were 350 reported in the same time period and 422 in 2018.
Theft from vehicle cases increased by a little more than 100 cases from 2019. It’s possible that’s because cars are being left parked and unlocked for longer periods of time.
