DC takes the crown as petty crime capital of America

Washington is not only the nation’s capital but also the top spot in the country for petty theft crimes.

An analysis of 2022 FBI crime statistics found that residents and businesses in Washington were more likely to be victims of vandalism, pick-pocketing, purse-snatching, shoplifting, and theft than in any of the 50 states, according to research by Top Rated Law.

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“The results of this report are troubling, but not surprising,” House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “D.C. residents, tourists, Capitol Hill staff, and members of Congress have been attacked, robbed, carjacked, and assaulted while the D.C. Council has shown time and again that it is more interested in pursuing progressive policies than tackling the rise in crime. It is time for the D.C. Council to address this public safety crisis.”

Washington reported 3,671 incidents of petty crime per 100,000 people last year. A total of 24,664 incidents were reported, more than half being vandalism.

More than 40 states had a higher number of petty crimes reported, but because of Washington’s small size, at 68 square miles, and lower population than most states, it makes residents and visitors more likely to be victims of crime than any other place.

Crime in the district has become a problem to the extent that Virginia officials claimed it was a top reason the local NBA team, the Washington Wizards, and NHL team, the Washington Capitals, weighed relocating to nearby northern Virginia.

“It’s not just about money, but you got to talk about the environment. … What is the surrounding area of the venue?” Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears (R-VA) said in an interview with WMAL on Dec. 13. “If you go to the game and you’re having fun, but if you leave the game having to look over your shoulder, that’s an issue.”

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat in her third term, did not address crime or public safety during a press conference last Wednesday.

However, the company that owns both professional sports teams has mentioned its concern and discontentment with the state of crime in Washington.

During a Chinatown community meeting in August, Monumental Sports and Entertainment Director of Community Affairs Crispus Gordon told attendees that the “lack of prosecution has had a negative effect on the community,” one major hint that while police officers are present outside the venue, enforcement may be lax.

New Mexico, Washington state, Delaware, and Oregon wrapped up the top five list of states with the most petty crime incidents per 100,000 residents.

New Mexico and Washington state reported 2,278 and 2,277 incidents per 100,000 people, respectively.

Out of all states, Texas had, by far, the most small crimes committed and reported to law enforcement at 414,351 — nearly double the number reported in California, which placed second and finished the year with 212,297 fewer crimes than the Lone Star State when looking at overall numbers and not rate.

The House Oversight and Accountability Committee has pushed Washington, D.C., leaders to take crime more seriously in recent years.

In early December, Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith met with committee members to discuss how the federal government can help the district with high levels of petty and violent crime.

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“The crime statistics alone are shocking. Homicides, property crime, carjackings are all historically high, and soft-on-crime measures have only made the situation worse,” Comer said in a statement issued following the meeting. “It’s clear that the local D.C. Council and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves have failed their basic responsibility to keep Americans safe and criminals off the streets.”

Comer has identified the district’s “soft-on-crime” policies and cuts to law enforcement budgets as major factors for the rise in crime.