When looking at crime rates, many people in Missouri look at violent crimes. This is totally understandable since these crimes pose a serious danger to you. However, it is property crimes that happen more often. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, these crimes involve property or money and do not involve physically hurting another person. Despite the lack of physical harm, they occur a lot and could cost you a lot of money if you are a victim.
Understanding the property crime rates can give you a better idea of how to stay safe and protect your property. In 2014, the state saw a total of 177,421 crimes in this category. Making up the total were burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.
Looking at the most common crime, it was theft with a total of 124,470 offenses during the year. That was by far the property crime that happened most often. The next highest crime was burglary at 35,207. Burglary is when a criminal goes into a building with the intent to do something else, such as steal. Motor vehicle theft followed that at 16,346. The least number of offenses was arson, which had only 1,398 offenses during the year.
What you can learn from these numbers is that theft is the crime most likely to happen. This might include someone stealing from your vehicle, out of your garage or even off your person, such as a purse theft. You should make sure to pay attention and keep your possessions secure to avoid becoming a victim. This information is for education and is not legal advice.
