Residential burglaries were reported to have decreased after Hemet Station Sheriff’s deputies conducted a weeklong Idyllwild crime sweep in August 2012, according to the Hemet Station. Arrests were made, drug houses were cleared out and, according to the Hemet Station, the raid seemed effective in reducing crime.
Beginning in October 2011, felony property crimes began to escalate in the Idyllwild area. From January through August 2012, property crimes had spiked to nearly 70. Previous years had seen yearly averages of 12 to 15 property crimes for the entire measuring year.
Based on recently received statistics from the Sheriff’s Department Central Media Information Bureau, not only have residential and commercial burglaries not decreased substantially from 2012 levels, there has also been an increase in violent crime, something that had been relatively rare in prior years.
Nine felony assaults were reported from September 2012 through mid-February 2013, all but one in Idyllwild. In addition, a robbery was reported in January 2013 in Idyllwild. Forty-five other felonies, including burglaries, attempted burglaries, vehicle burglaries, stolen vehicles and felony thefts and felony vandalism was reported from September through February, a rate similar to crimes in 2012 prior to the August Sheriff’s sweep.
The dramatic surge in residential property crimes began in October 2011 and continued to spike into the late summer of 2012. In August 2012, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deputies conducted a weeklong crime sweep that resulted in 13 arrests and jail sentences for a number of those arrested. After the sweep and the arrests, residential burglaries were said to have diminished according to the Hemet Station, but as the recently received statistics indicate, reported crime did not decrease markedly.
The majority of these reported crimes were concentrated in a few neighborhoods — Tollgate, Saunders Meadow Road, Pine Crest and Marian View. Others occurred in Fern Valley and Pine Cove.
Neighborhood Watch groups should note burglary and theft locations in order to better prepare and organize. A list of crime locations is available online at idyllwildtowncrier.com at the end of this story. We can only post crime locations for which reports have been filed. There may have been additional crimes that went unreported.
Recent crime reports
Fifty four felonies from September 2012 through mid Feburary 2013
Felony Assaults - Idyllwild
| Month | Number of reports | Locations |
| September 2012 | 1 | 25000 Block Tahquitz Dr. |
| October 2012 | 3 | 26000 Block of Saunders Meadow Road |
| Saunders Meadow Road and Highway 243 | ||
| 54000 Block Rockdale Drive | ||
| November 2012 | 1 | 54000 Block Pine Crest Av. |
| December 2012 | 3 | 54000 block of Live Oak St. |
| 25000 block Highway 243 (Pine Cove) | ||
| 54000 block of Circle Drive | ||
| February 2013 | 1 | Daryll Road and Wayne Drive |
Felony Burglary - Idyllwild
| September 2012 | 8, 1 attempt | 27000 Block of Saunders Meadow Road |
| 28000 Block of Saunders Meadow Road | ||
| 25000 Block of Manzanita Drive (attempt) | ||
| 28000 Block of Saunders Meadow Road | ||
| 53000 Block of Tollgate Road | ||
| 54000 Block Live Oak St. | ||
| 27000 Block of Saunders Meadow Road | ||
| 54000 Block of Memory Lane | ||
| 54000 Block Tahquitz View Drive | ||
| October 2012 | 3 | 27000 Block of Saunders Meadow Road |
| 54000 Tahquitz View Drive | ||
| 26000 Block Highway 243 | ||
| November 2012 | 4, 2 attempts | 54000 Block Crest Drive |
| 52000 Block of Middle Ridge Dr. (attempt) | ||
| 54000 Block Village Center Dr. (attempt) | ||
| 26000 Block Saddle Drive | ||
| 53000 Block Double View Drive | ||
| 53000 Block Idyllbrook Drive | ||
| December | 4 | 53000 Block Idyllbrook Drive |
| 54000 Block of Pine Crest Av. | ||
| 54000 Block of Pine Crest Av. | ||
| 52000 Block of Sylvan Way (Pine Cove) | ||
| January 2013 | 3, 1 attempt | 54000 Block Riverside County Playground Rd. |
| 26000 Block Saddle Dr. (attempt) | ||
| 53000 Block of Marian View Dr. | ||
| 53000 Block Oates Lane (Pine Cove) | ||
| February 2012 | 4 | 53000 Block of Middle Ridge Dr. |
| 54000 Block Tahquitz View Dr. | ||
| 54000 Block Circle Dr. | ||
| 54000 Block Circle Dr. |
Felony Robbery - Idyllwild
| January 2013 | 1 | Circle Drive/Village Center Drive |
Felony Vehicle Burglary - Idyllwild
| September 2012 | 1 | 26000 Block Highway 243 |
| October 2012 | 1 | 53000 Block McKinney Lane |
Felony Stolen Vehicle - Idyllwild
| December 2012 | 1 | 54000 Block Pine Crest Av. |
| January 2013 | 2 | 25000 Block Highway 243 |
| 25000 Block Highway 243 | ||
| February 2013 | 1 | 54000 Pine Crest Av. |
Felony Theft - Idyllwild
| September 2012 | 1 | 25000 Shadow Oaks Dr. (Pine Cove) |
| October 2012 | 3 | Circle Dr. and State Highway 243 |
| 54000 Block Circle Dr. | ||
| 54000 Block Marian View Drive | ||
| November 2012 | 1 | 24000 Block Fern Valley Road |
| January 2013 | 1 | 24000 Block Azalea Road |
| February 2013 | 1 | 26000 Block Highway 243 |
Felony Vandalism (damage over $400)
| January 2013 | 1 | 26000 Block Highway 243 |
