Sgt. Lonnie Siebert of the Lucerne Valley Substation discusses crime statistics at the recent meeting of the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association. Caroline Lieber, For The Leader
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By Peter Day
and Caroline Lieber
LUCERNE VALLEY — While some major crimes are going down, thefts and other lesser crimes are creeping upward in Lucerne Valley and surrounding areas.
"I'm imagining the numbers will go up in 2015," said Sgt. Lonnie Siebert of the Lucerne Valley Substation and the Rural Crimes Task Force.
During his presentation at the LVEDA meeting on Dec. 1, Siebert shared statistics on a variety of crimes in Lucerne Valley.
Comparing crime rates between 2013 and 2014, Sgt. Siebert said that the rates had gone down for some major crimes (murder, manslaughter, rape, aggravated assault), but had increased for some less violent crimes, including assault (9%), burglary (9%), and larceny (6%).
Through September 2015, about 20 calls per month occurred for violent crimes, and about 14 per month for less violent crimes. Each deputy processed about 85 calls per month.
Sgt. Siebert said that the crime rate in Lucerne Valley is no higher than in other Victor Valley communities. He said that there is typically an increase in calls to the substation during the summer months. He explained that the increased daylight hours combined with more activities occurring away from people’s homes provide “scandalous thieves looking for any opportunity” with more targets.
He said AB109, the early release law known as Public Safety Realignment, effectively put a number of criminals back on the streets. That, and Prop. 47, which reduced certain drug felonies to misdemeanors and required misdemeanor sentencing for theft crimes involving $950 or less, has in some cases made it easier for criminals to commit crimes.
As a result, some criminals are out of jail soon after being booked, he said.
"Now it's a matter of hours and they're back out again," Siebert said.
The brazenness of some crimes in Lucerne Valley have taken Siebert and others in law enforcement by surprise. In one case, the crooks used welding torches to cut into metal storage containers and steal thousands of dollars worth of off-road vehicles, tools and other property. Their getaway vehicle was the just stolen ATV.
"I've never come across desert roaming thieves before," he said.
One "tricked out truck" has been used to commit thefts and elude law enforcement vehicles at 80 miles per hour.
"Our vehicles can't do that fast," he said.
In an answer to a meeting attendee's questions, Siebert also said there are 49 registered sex offenders in Lucerne Valley with two not in compliance.
The sergeant also explained that the County Sheriff's Department is unable to enforce the 1,500-feet rule, which states that registered sex offenders must live farther than 1,500 feet of school zones, because the rule is currently being litigated in court.
Siebert said there are several new tools for residents to check the status of crime in their town or neighborhood. He said criminal court ruling are available on Open Access, prison inmates can be located at the State Inmate Locater, and Crime Mapping on the Sheriff's website provides a view of neighborhood crime report.
Siebert encouraged shoppers to be on the lookout for thieves this Christmas season.
"Don't wear your best jewelry to the stores," Siebert said. "Don't take much cash. You're life isn't worth what's in your purse."