Larceny-Theft Fact Sheet

The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another.

It includes shoplifting, pocket-picking, purse-snatching, thefts from motor vehicles, thefts of motor vehicle parts and accessories, bicycle thefts, etc., in which no use of force, violence, or fraud occurs. In the Uniform Crime Reporting Program, this crime category does not include embezzlement, confidence games, forgery, worthless checks, and motor vehicle theft.

General

• There were an estimated 6.8 million (6,776,807) larceny-theft offenses nationwide during 2005.
• An examination of 2- and 10-year trends revealed a 2.3-percent decrease in the estimated number of larceny-thefts compared with the 2004 figure, and a 14.3-percent decline from the 1996 estimate.
• Two-thirds of all property crimes in 2005 were larceny-thefts. (Based on Table 1.)
• During 2005, there were an estimated 2,286.3 larceny-theft offenses per 100,000 inhabitants.
• From 2004 to 2005 the rate of larceny-thefts declined 3.2 percent, and from 1996 to 2005, the rate declined 23.3 percent.
• The average value for property stolen during the commission of a larceny-theft was $764 per offense.

Economic Impact

• Nationwide in 2005, the average dollar value of property taken during robberies was $1,230; during burglaries, $1,725; during larceny-thefts, $764; and during motor vehicle thefts, $6,173.
• Slightly more than 44 percent of robberies took place on a street or highway.
• By location, 65.8 percent of burglaries occurred at residences.
• Nearly 26 percent of larceny-theft offenses were from motor vehicles.
• Among the categories of larceny-theft, larceny-thefts from buildings was the category with the highest average dollar value of property taken, $1,155.
• Forty percent of all larceny-thefts involved property valued at more than $200.

Law Enforcement Response

• Violent crime increased 2.7 percent in metropolitan counties with 100,000 or more in population, the largest percentage increase within all the county population groupings.
• In 2005, property crime decreased 2.0 percent in metropolitan counties with populations under 25,000.  This was the largest percentage decrease among the county population groupings.
• Metropolitan counties with populations under 25,000 inhabitants had the largest percentage decrease (31.7) in murder of all the county population groupings.
• Forcible rape offenses increased 7.6 percent in nonmetropolitan counties with 25,000 and more inhabitants, the largest percentage increase of all the county population groupings.
•  The largest percentage decrease of forcible rape offenses among the county groupings was 6.2 percent in nonmetropolitan counties with populations under 10,000.
• There were increases in motor vehicle theft offenses in all county population groupings except for metropolitan counties with less than 25,000 inhabitants, which had a 0.8-percent decrease.
• Arson offenses decreased in all county population groupings except metropolitan counties with populations of 25,000 to 99,999 which had an increase of 2.4 percent.