Crime in Beckley, West Virginia

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2018. In Beckley, property crimes also account for about 85% of all offenses.

Property crime is much more prevalent in Beckley than it is nationwide. There were 836 property crimes in Beckley in 2018, or 5,150 for every 100,000 residents. Meanwhile, the national property crime rate is 2,200 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 Beckley. There were 669 larcenies reported in Beckley in 2018, or 4,121 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,595 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 136 break-ins reported in Beckley in 2018, or 838 for every 100,000 residents. For reference, there were 327 reported burglaries for every 100,000 people nationwide in 2018.

Motor Vehicle Theft

Across the United States, the annual motor vehicle theft rate is 229 for every 100,000 people. In Beckley, meanwhile, there were 31 motor vehicle thefts in 2018, or 191 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 more than 8.4 million offenses reported across the U.S. in 2018. In Beckley, violent offenses also account for a 15% share of all reported crime.

At 906 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Beckley is well above the national violent crime rate of 381 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Beckley reported a total of 147 violent crimes in 2018.

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 Beckley. There were 109 aggravated assaults reported in Beckley in 2018, or 671 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the rate is far lower, standing at 247 aggravated assaults per 100,000 people.

Robbery

Robbery is the second most common type of violent crime in America. There were 11 robberies reported in Beckley in 2018, a rate of 68 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 86 per 100,000 in 2018.

Rape

There were 24 rapes reported in Beckley in 2018, or 148 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,380 rapes in 2018, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There were 3 homicides committed in the city in 2018. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Beckley is 18.5 murders for every 100,000 people, more than triple the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.