Crime in Alton, Illinois

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2019. In Alton, however, property crimes account for only about 80% of all offenses.

Despite accounting for a smaller than average share of total offenses, property crime is more prevalent in Alton than it is nationwide. There were 1,101 property crimes in Alton in 2019, or 4,177 for every 100,000 residents. Meanwhile, the national property crime rate is 2,110 incidents per 100,000 people.

Larceny

Larceny is by far the most common type of property crime in the U.S. It is also the most commonly committed type of property crime in Alton. There were 813 larcenies reported in Alton in 2019, or 3,084 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,550 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 203 break-ins reported in Alton in 2019, or 770 for every 100,000 residents. For reference, there were 341 reported burglaries for every 100,000 people nationwide in 2019.

Motor Vehicle Theft

Across the United States, the annual motor vehicle theft rate is 220 for every 100,000 people. In Alton, meanwhile, there were 85 motor vehicle thefts in 2019, or 323 for every 100,000 people.

Violent crime

Violent crime accounts for a relatively small share of crimes nationwide. These offenses, which are generally more egregious than property crimes, account for about 15% of the nearly 8.2 million offenses reported across the U.S. in 2019. In Alton, however, violent offenses account for a larger 20% share of all reported crime.

At 1,017 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Alton is well above the national violent crime rate of 379 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Alton reported a total of 268 violent crimes in 2019.

Aggravated Assault

Aggravated assault is by far the most common type of violent crime reported in the U.S. It is also the most commonly reported violent offense in Alton. There were 204 aggravated assaults reported in Alton in 2019, or 774 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the rate is far lower, standing at 250 aggravated assaults per 100,000 people.

Robbery

Robbery is the second most common type of violent crime in America. There were 28 robberies reported in Alton in 2019, a rate of 106 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 82 per 100,000 in 2019.

Rape

There were 34 rapes reported in Alton in 2019, or 129 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,815 rapes in 2019, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There were 2 homicides committed in the city in 2019. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Alton is 7.6 murders for every 100,000 people, higher than the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.