Crime in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2018. In Bethlehem, property crimes account for only about 86% of all offenses.

Despite accounting for a higher than average share of total offenses, property crime is less prevalent in Bethlehem than it is nationwide. There were 1,281 property crimes in Bethlehem in 2018, or 1,690 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 Bethlehem. There were 1,008 larcenies reported in Bethlehem in 2018, or 1,330 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,595 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 217 break-ins reported in Bethlehem in 2018, or 286 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 Bethlehem, meanwhile, there were 56 motor vehicle thefts in 2018, or 74 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 Bethlehem, however, violent offenses account for a smaller 14% share of all reported crime.

At 273 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Bethlehem is below the national violent crime rate of 381 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Bethlehem reported a total of 207 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 Bethlehem. There were 124 aggravated assaults reported in Bethlehem in 2018, or 164 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the rate is higher, standing at 247 aggravated assaults per 100,000 people.

Robbery

Robbery is the second most common type of violent crime in America. There were 50 robberies reported in Bethlehem in 2018, a rate of 66 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 86 per 100,000 in 2018.

Rape

There were 32 rapes reported in Bethlehem in 2018, or 42 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,380 rapes in 2018, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There was one homicide reported in the city in 2018. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Bethlehem is 1.3 for every 100,000 people, considerably lower than the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.