Crime in Lexington is down 22 percent year over year, but the city still faces 35 percent more crime than the national average. The most common crimes throughout Lexington, KY are property crimes, which far surpasses violent crime, with 10,329 property offenses compared to 982 violent ones. Here are the top six crimes committed in this city:
- Larceny: The most common crime in Lexington is larceny. This the unlawful taking of another person’s property without the use of force. This would include nonviolent offenses like removing someone’s lawn mower from an unlocked shed or picking a wallet out of a purse. Whether it is a felony or misdemeanor depends on the value of the property; generally, theft of property worth more than $1,000 is a felony.
- Breaking and entering: Also called burglary, this involves stealing property and trespassing. Offenders commit breaking and entering when they access a site where they are not authorized and steal items. There is no use of force involved with breaking and entering. An example of breaking and entering would be robbing a home when no one is present. Since these instances often involve large amounts of property, it is almost always a felony.
- Vehicle theft: Also a felony, vehicle theft is just what it sounds like: stealing cars. In 2020 so far, there have been 323 incidents of vehicle theft, and that often increases during the summer months. Since Lexington residents have a one in nine chance of being a victim of a crime, this is the time of year to ensure your car is locked and any alarms are activated.
- Robbery: Robbery is the most common violent offense in Lexington. It involves theft of property, but also the use of force. Merely threatening the use of force with a weapon is enough for charges to rise to the level robbery, even if the offender had no intention of harming a cooperative victim. The prosecutor merely needs to prove that the fear of harm on the victim’s part was reasonable. Firearms are a common instrument of threats, but so are knives and threats of rape, assault, battery or any of those acts against a family member.
- Forcible rape: Rape is always classified as a violent offense. Forcible rape usually involves a weapon to ensure the victim’s cooperation. As you might expect, rape is also a felony that can carry a long prison term.
- Murder and arson: Murder and arson are tied as the least frequent of the top six crimes in Lexington. In 2020, there have been five incidents of each so far. Murder can include different degrees based on motive and planning. Arson is about the same in that there are different degrees depending on the intentions behind setting a fire. If committing arson kills an individual, that is normally presented as two different charges by the prosecutor and can enhance minimum sentences.
Oakley & Oakley LLC represents criminal defendants in Lexington, KY. We are experienced in handling defenses for the most common crimes throughout Lexington, and can represent you in state or federal court. Contact our office today if you have been accused of a crime in Lexington, KY.
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