The Seattle Police Department released its 2021 crime report this month and the news is not good. Overall, crime is up 10% compared to 2020 but violent crime was up even more:

Overall citywide crime increased by 10% (+4,209) when compared to 2020 totals. Robbery, Aggravated Assaults, and Motor Vehicle Thefts were significantly high this year when compared to a
five-year weighted average.

• Violent Crime increased by 20% (+874). Increases came from Aggravated Assaults (up 24%) and Robbery (up 18%)…
• Property Crime increased by 9% (+3,335) when compared to 2020 totals. Increases in Larceny-theft (up 15%), Motor Vehicle Theft (up 8%), and Arson (up 31%).

The number of murders in 2022 (40) was down from 2020 which is somewhat surprising given that the number of shootings went up 40%:

2021 represented a ten-year high for shootings and shots fired in the City of Seattle. Since the report inception (2012), there has been over a 100% increase in shots fired. 2020 was the previous all-time high on record, followed by 2015.

In 2021, there were 612 verified criminal shootings and shots fired citywide. This represents a 40% (+175) increase compared to 2020, and an 86% (+283) increase compared to 2019.

Here’s a graph showing the increase in shootings last year.

One reason for the significant increase last year was the jump in shootings connected to the homeless: “The proportion of Shots Fired events with a nexus to homelessness increased by 122% (+62) in 2021 compared to 2020.”

Tying in to this crime report, KOMO News reports break ins have been a major problem downtown:

Pike Place Market is a big draw for locals and tourists alike.

What many people don’t realize is that several businesses in the area have been dealing with break-ins. Seattle Shirt Company has been broken into seven times in three months. Sneaker City, which closed recently and moved online, was broken into 15 times in two years, according to the owner.

The Target on 2nd Ave and Pike St in Downtown Seattle is one of the top locations in the city where officers responded to 911 calls last year.

“Seattle is a mess right now. It’s a real mess. I’ve lived here for 34 years. I love this town. I hope it’s resilient. But it has never been worse,” said Rick Thompson.

I wrote about that Target store in downtown Seattle here. Staff at the store told Jason Rantz there were seeing shoplifting about every ten minutes. And sure enough, he saw two such incidents take place 12 minutes apart during a recent visit.

Within 12 minutes of stepping foot into the Downtown Seattle Target, I saw security confront two shoplifters.

One staff member told me this happens about every ten minutes in the store. The shelves are empty because of the shoplifting.

Seattle is thriving! pic.twitter.com/4SqALiqI29

— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) January 23, 2022

Last week KOMO news interviewed Nick Bui, the owner of a noodle shop in Chinatown. “It’s not safe and I don’t feel safe after six o’clock when the sun goes down,” he said. Bui has decided he’s going to move his business out of Chinatown.

Owner Nick Bui says his business has been broken into several times. Some of the incidents were caught on camera.

Bui told KOMO News last month that because of those repeat break-ins, his insurance coverage wasn’t renewed. Bui has decided to leave Chinatown-International District and move to Southcenter Mall in Tukwila.

Bui believes more businesses in the area will follow suit and leave the neighborhood and that the crime problem is only going to get worse.

“It’s not safe for my staff, it’s not safe for my family being here,” said Bui. “I have given up hope. I don’t believe there’s going to be any changes within the year or two from now and I have no choice but to move.”…

“Give us some sort of hope where they can make a difference here. Do something, shelters, or whatever you have to do. You cannot have so many people loitering around where they set up tents around business around here,” said Bui.

One of the reasons Seattle is struggling right now is that they police department is down about 350 officers. The situation has gotten so bad that a downtown business association has hired private security guards to patrol the areas. Here’s another report from KOMO news featuring a business owner warning tourists to stay away from downtown for their own safety.