Crime in Sarasota, Florida

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2019. In Sarasota, property crimes also account for about 85% of all offenses.

Property crime is more prevalent in Sarasota than it is nationwide. There were 1,857 property crimes in Sarasota in 2019, or 3,176 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 Sarasota. There were 1,462 larcenies reported in Sarasota in 2019, or 2,500 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,550 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 264 break-ins reported in Sarasota in 2019, or 452 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 Sarasota, meanwhile, there were 131 motor vehicle thefts in 2019, or 224 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 Sarasota, violent offenses also account for a 15% share of all reported crime.

At 546 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Sarasota is above the national violent crime rate of 379 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Sarasota reported a total of 319 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 Sarasota. There were 221 aggravated assaults reported in Sarasota in 2019, or 378 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the rate is 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 66 robberies reported in Sarasota in 2019, a rate of 113 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 82 per 100,000 in 2019.

Rape

There were 28 rapes reported in Sarasota in 2019, or 48 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,815 rapes in 2019, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There were 4 homicides committed in the city in 2019. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Sarasota is 6.8 murders for every 100,000 people, higher than the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.