THE LAST WORD

It’s always heartwarming to see crime statistics when they spiral

downward, whether slightly or greatly. After all, that’s the right way

for them to go.

But when they were released by the California Department of Justice

last month, they caught us off guard. At first glance, they just didn’t

look right.

What do you think? Straight out of the Aug. 29 Pilot: “Newport Beach

saw a 9.3% increase in crime last year compared with 1999, while Costa

Mesa enjoyed a 4.4% decline.”

Huh? Could it be that the stereotypes that grip the two cities are

wrong? Can it be that the City of the Arts, the Hub of the Harbor or the

City of Misc. that Costa Mesa is is becoming the safer of the two?

Well, not necessarily. Though the latest statistics are wonderful for

Costa Mesa, Newport Beach has done its job. In fact, the biggest increase

came in the form of thefts, where the city experienced a 13% increase.

Officials say cell phone thefts are the single factor to blame for the

overall increase in crime (which means forget our applause last week for

the mobile phone).

In Costa Mesa, meanwhile, a 21% increase in auto thefts wreaked havoc.

So, it just goes to show you that stereotypes are just that, and not

everyone, nor every city, lives up to stereotypes.

Heck, it might even be safe to walk in Los Angeles alleys these days.