La Jolla crime and public safety news: County violent crimes; local coronavirus numbers; police blotter

County homicides rise in first half of 2020, other violent crimes drop, report says

San Diego County faced a 37 percent spike in homicides in the first half of 2020 over the same period last year, while other violent crimes such as robberies and rapes dropped, according to a report released Sept. 22.

The report by the San Diego Association of Governments, or SANDAG, said rapes decreased 20 percent and robberies
declined 10 percent.

The reasons for the trends are unclear. San Diego police Lt. Shawn Takeuchi ascribed the changes to “the ebb and flow of crime.”

The region recorded 52 homicides in the first half of 2020, with spikes in March and April. The county logged 38 homicides during the same six-month period in 2019.

Of the cases in the first half of 2020 in which homicide detectives determined a motive, 41 percent were tied to arguments, 22 percent to robberies and 3 percent to gang violence. The rest were attributed to other causes. — The San Diego Union-Tribune

Coronavirus numbers by ZIP code

The San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency posts an updated list at 8 a.m. daily of coronavirus cases by ZIP code, including rates per 100,000 residents. As of Sept. 28, ZIP code 92037 had 311 registered cases (up by 17 from the previous week) and 718.5 per 100,000. ZIP code is the code of residence, which may not be the location of exposure. bit.ly/covidbyzip

Police blotter

Sept. 6

Fraud: 5900 block Avenida Chamnez, 8 a.m.

Petty theft: 2800 block Torrey Pines Road, 11:30 a.m.

Sept. 10

Felony vandalism: 6000 block Caroldale Row, midnight

Vehicle break-in/theft: 900 block Prospect Street, noon

Petty theft: 800 block Genter Street, 1:20 p.m.

Sept. 11

Vandalism: 5100 block Bayard Street, 6 p.m.

Sept. 12

Petty theft: 300 block Coast Boulevard, 8 p.m.

Sept. 13

Open container in public park: 700 block Ocean Boulevard, 5:10 p.m.

Sept. 15

Residential burglary: 300 block Bonair Street, 3:30 p.m.

Sept. 16

Residential burglary: 5600 block Bellevue Avenue, 8 p.m.

Sept. 19

Willful cruelty to child without injury or death: Police were called when a mother believed her estranged husband was intoxicated while watching their children. Police took custody of the children. 900 block Prospect Street, 9 p.m.

Sept. 21

Vandalism: 6500 block La Jolla Boulevard, 9 a.m.

Felony grand theft: 6500 block Vista del Mar Avenue, 12:41 p.m.

Sept. 22

Use/under the influence of a controlled substance: 6800 block Neptune Place, 10:04 a.m.

Residential burglary: 400 block Sea Ridge Drive, 4:57 p.m.

Sept. 23

Felony shooting at inhabited dwelling/vehicle: A person reportedly was yelling at someone else and shot pellets at a vehicle the person got into. Bonair Street at Neptune Place, 6:50 a.m.

Sept. 25

Petty theft: 5700 block Santa Fe Street, 5:30 a.m.

Felony vandalism: 6400 block Campina Place, 8 a.m.

Vandalism: 5400 block Calumet Avenue, 7:50 p.m.

Felony vandalism: 1400 block Vista Claridad, 8:36 a.m.

Sept. 26

Vehicle break-in/theft: 1600 block Kearsarge Road, 7 p.m.

Sept. 27

Felony grand theft: 5700 block Santa Fe Street, 4 p.m.

Simple battery: 6000 block Soledad Mountain Road, 4:51 p.m.

— Compiled by Ashley Mackin-Solomon from police and other local reports