you are right data can be deceiving, but I don’t think it is in this case.
When you go to crimes per square mile and you see that if you stood in one spot in Del Mar, your chances of being a victim are just as high as they’d be in Oside, I don’t see how you can argue with that. That kind of number is blind to whether you’re a tourist or resident since in reality that bit of metadata is irrelevant.
Though I don’t like anecdotal evidence as much as stats, here is an article that quotes a resident:
The report also indicates upscale Del Mar has a theft problem. The city’s property-crime rate was the highest in the county, jumping 35 percent last year.
Del Mar contracts with the Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement. Sheriff officials assigned to the North County community did not return calls yesterday.
Suzanne Sokol, co-owner of a clothing boutique in Del Mar, blamed the increase on a minimal police presence, especially on nights and weekends.
“A little more …. would make a difference,” she said, and noted that vehicle break-ins have been a problem near the racetrack and in other parts of town.
“I’ve been here since 1994 and it’s gotten worse,” she said.
