Polysentry's Insights

The incidence of thefts impacting residences and businesses in key areas across Greater Los Angeles has seen a rise of approximately 10% between 2022 and 2023. Prominent regions experiencing heightened theft activity include Hollywood, Central, Wilshire, Pacific, and West Los Angeles, where many of the city’s renowned tourist destinations are situated, such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica Pier. Most recently, on Easter Sunday 2024, thieves absconded with up to $30 million from a money storage facility in Los Angeles. Located in the Sylmar area of the San Fernando Valley, this incident marked one of the largest cash heists in the city’s history. 

The number of retail thefts recorded across downtown Chicago in 2023, including in the city’s major footfall and retail business areas, have seen a significant increase of nearly 12% since 2022. The top five locations of retail theft occurred within either police district 1 or 18. Perpetrators of these crimes have chosen to target areas within these districts that are nearby the Loop or the Magnificent Mile, where the majority of the city’s largest hospitality, retail, and financial institutions are located. Small retail stores and department stores were the most frequented targets of attack.

Since the Israeli-Palestinian conflict escalated into a hot war on Oct. 7, 2023, demonstrations have been taking place in major cities across the world. New York City has been a major focal point of unrest, where thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators continue to take part in mass protests, walk-outs, and motor caravans across the city’s five boroughs.