$76M in items stolen in 2005

It is an increase from $45.3 million in 2004, police statistics show

Despite a drop in property crime last year in Honolulu, the value of stolen property leaped to $76.2 million last year from $45.3 million in 2004 and $39.7 million in 2003.

The number of property crime incidents in 2005 dropped to 42,383, the lowest since 1999, when 40,480 crimes were recorded. Property crime incidents in 2004 were slightly higher than 2005 with 44,121.

PROPERTY STOLEN AND RECOVERED IN 2005 CURRENCY, NOTES Stolen: $4,685,192 Recovered: $48,599 JEWELRY, PRECIOUS METALS Stolen: $9,646,942 Recovered: $102,926 CLOTHING AND FURS Stolen: $3,024,413 Recovered: $222,835 VEHICLES Stolen: $38,751,731 Recovered: $20,502,529 OFFICE EQUIPMENT Stolen: $3,589,398 Recovered: $78,997 TVS, RADIOS, STEREOS, ETC. Stolen: $3,722,165 Recovered: $50,384 FIREARMS Stolen: $60,231 Recovered: $3,398 HOUSEHOLD GOODS Stolen: $187,361 Recovered: $3,430 CONSUMABLE GOODS Stolen: $174,740 Recovered: $43,713 LIVESTOCK Stolen: $9,945 Recovered: $0 MISCELLANEOUS Stolen: $12,376,304 Recovered: $970,602 Source: HPD Annual Report 2005

The figures are from the crime index contained in the Honolulu Police Department's Annual Report 2005, released this week.

Police attribute the increase in value to a new records reporting system installed in the past year, said HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu.

"The new system allows for better or more accurate recording of property values," Yu said. "This should be for us only a one-time leap."

Motor vehicles were the largest source of stolen property, valued at $38.75 million, with $20.5 million worth of vehicles recovered. Actual vehicles stolen on Oahu numbered 6,798, with 4,024 recovered.

Jewelry and precious metals were a distant second, with $9.65 million of stolen goods and just $102,926 recovered.

Although crime overall fell 4 percent last year from 2004, violent crimes in Honolulu crept up by 3 percent, with rape having the largest percentage increase of 5 percent.

Violent crimes included in the crime index are murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

As a whole, the 841 robberies yielded $762,792 last year, including $30,186 from 27 bank robberies.

Larceny theft losses amounted to $21.6 million, with $8.7 million being car break-ins. Last year's 6,209 burglaries resulted in losses of $14.9 million.

HPD's annual report also broke down the number of crimes by police districts.

The Central Honolulu District (downtown to Makiki/Tantalus), a densely populated 8-mile area, topped the list with the 7,787 reported offenses, including three murders, 27 rapes, 176 robberies and 185 aggravated assaults.

The Pearl City District (Pearl Harbor to Waipahu), with 7,121 reported offenses, came in next, with four murders, 25 rapes, 154 robberies and 109 aggravated assaults.

The expansive Kapolei-Waianae District had 5,924 reported offenses last year with a single murder, 37 rapes, 92 robberies and 170 aggravated assaults.

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