Crime in Ramona

Bomb threat at Kmart, drug busts, arson, murder, child molestation, fraud, vandalism, burglary, muggings. So what’s going on? Is it because times are tough, is it better reporting of crimes to the sheriff so they are able to make more arrests, or is it because Ramona is somewhat isolated and that it attracts more of those folks who are more likely to commit crimes? It seems lately our little town has all of the crime that the big city does — or does it?

There doesn’t appear to be any research, at least that I discovered, that the crime rate is affected by whether an area is incorporated or unincorporated, out in the boonies or in the center of a metropolitan area. It’s not the environment that commits a crime, it’s people. Several folks who I have talked to have expressed concern over what appears to be a rise in crime. A great Web site on crime stats and information is www.arjis.org. The Automated Regional Justice Information System is a collaboration of San Diego police and the sheriff’s departments, which accumulate reported crimes within the county and includes: crime maps, crime statistics, 10 most wanted, who’s in jail and more, plus Crime Stoppers, a nonprofit organization that operates an anonymous tip line to report crime. A quick comparison of county crime from October 2008 to November 2008 shows a definite increase in all crimes, which is normal as the holidays approach. I spoke with Sgt. Strong from the Ramona substation and he said that crime levels are at normal or below normal throughout the county. To maintain this trend, we all need to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities immediately —because in the end, it ultimately comes down to us to keep Ramona a safe place.