New 22-Year Lows Set in 3 Major Offense Categories, High Set In Another Last Year
Crime declined in 2021 in Sulphur Springs, dropping from 188 offenses in 2020 to a new 22-year record low of 128 offenses recorded by Sulphur Springs Police Department in the seven major offense reporting categories. In the past, the least number of offenses recorded by SSPD in a year was 162 in 2019 and the most was 371 offenses in 2004.
From 2020 to 2021, crime decline in five of the seven offense categories. In fact, new lows were set in three of the seven major offense categories.
SSPD recorded no criminal homicides in 2021. This category has continued to be low, with murders reported in only nine of the past 22 years. The most criminal homicides recorded in a single year was three in 2003 and 2020. Two murders each were documented by SSPD in 2011, 2015 and 2018; one each in 2002, 2005, 2009 and 2013; and none in the remaining years from 2000 to 2021.
The most significant drop was in the thefts over $200 category, which declined from 93 in 2020 to 58 last year, setting a new record low. Previously, the fewest number of thefts in a single year was 75 in 2011 and the most was 178 in 2004.
Only one robbery was reported in Sulphur Springs in 2021 – the least number of robberies in any year since 2000; the previous low was two robberies in 2006. That’s down from six robberies in 2020, which was half the record high of 12 robberies reported in 2008.
Also in 2021, 13 aggravated assaults, listed in SSPD reports as “assaults other than simple,” were recorded for Sulphur Springs, which is 11 less than in 2020 and, more notably, four less than the prior low of 17 aggravated assaults set in 2016. The most aggravated assaults recorded in one year by SSPD was set at 44 in 2000.
SSPD took 10 sexual assault reports in 2021. While that’s only one more than in 2020, 2021 ties 2015 for worst year. In 2012 no sexual assaults were recorded by SSPD.
SSPD made offense reports for 20 motor vehicle thefts in 2021, which is 16 less than in 2020 and 30 less than in 2001, when the 22-year high was set. Eleven more vehicles were reported to SSPD as stolen in 2021 than the record low of nine vehicles reported stolen in 2009.
A total of 26 burglaries were recorded in Sulphur Springs in 2021, the third lowest in the last 22 years. There were only 17 burglaries in 2020 and 20 in 2019. The most burglaries in a single year was set at 118 in 2002 and repeated in 2004.
Of the 26 burglaries recorded in 2021, a dozen were home burglaries, the same as in 2019, and 14 were building burglaries.
In only one other year were fewer burglaries recorded than in 2021, eight in 2020. The most home burglaries recorded during the 18-years the police department has been tracking and reporting the two types separately was 76 in 2004, followed by 55 home burglaries in 2005, and 52 in 2008 and 2009.
Five more buildings were broken into in 2021 than the nine each reported in 2020 and 2013. The fewest number of building burglaries reported in Sulphur Springs since 2014 was eight in 2019. The most annual building burglaries recorded by SSPD was 42 in 2004, followed by 40 in 2006.
