STOCKTON, Calif. — The buzz at the Majestic Barber Shop on Stockton's Miracle Mile on Pacific Avenue, crime is down across the board nearly 20%.
"I think it's great crime is down. Stockton is pretty rough," said Terry Cano, a barber. Born and raised in Stockton, Cano says he feels safe, but also refers to a break-in earlier this year where a speaker was stolen.
"We're lucky they didn't steal anything else," added Cano.
Despite being a victim, burglary in the city is down from 2019 by over 30%. That isn't all. Robbery is down over 20% and property theft has dropped by over 25%.
The question is, why?
"Often there's no one exact factor that we know crime is down because we look at other jurisdictions and crime is not necessarily down everywhere," said Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones. But Jones does believe the Covid pandemic may be playing a factor.
"People [are] at home more," Jones said. "People traveling less."
But, not all the news is positive. Homicides are up a whopping 40% across the city. Last year to date, there were 30 homicides. So far this year there have been 42 homicides.
"One of the unique factors about homicides are that many of them, about twelve, are of the homicides we've had this year are domestic-related," the Chief added.
At the Duck Nook Restaurant on Harding Way near Pacific Avenue, the entire glass front had to be replaced nearly three years ago after it was vandalized at a cost of over $30,000.
Shortly after a glass door was broken.
"They're going to break it again," said co-owner, Laura Rodriguez. "What's the point in fixing it if you're going to turn around and fix it again?"
She says the growing homeless population is to blame and believes things haven't improved at all. "They want to get fed," said Rodriguez. "Can you donate food? Can you help me? Coming in bothering the customers."
11 counties in California are moving backward today in their reopening plans as they fall into more restrictive tiers.
