Crime in Petaluma, California

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2019. In Petaluma, however, property crimes account for only about 81% of all offenses.

Property crime is less prevalent in Petaluma than it is nationwide. There were 789 property crimes in Petaluma in 2019, or 1,264 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 Petaluma. There were 626 larcenies reported in Petaluma in 2019, or 1,003 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,550 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 109 break-ins reported in Petaluma in 2019, or 175 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 Petaluma, meanwhile, there were 54 motor vehicle thefts in 2019, or 87 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 Petaluma, however, violent offenses account for a larger 19% share of all reported crime.

At 304 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Petaluma is below the national violent crime rate of 379 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Petaluma reported a total of 190 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 Petaluma. There were 137 aggravated assaults reported in Petaluma in 2019, or 220 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the rate is higher, 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 Petaluma in 2019, a rate of 45 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 82 per 100,000 in 2019.

Rape

There were 22 rapes reported in Petaluma in 2019, or 35 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,815 rapes in 2019, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There were 3 homicides committed in the city in 2019. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Petaluma is 4.8 murders for every 100,000 people, similar to the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.