By Rich Pollack
Crime in the small towns of coastal South Palm Beach County remained low in 2020, thanks in large part to a reduction in burglaries that could be attributed to more people staying home during the pandemic.
The number of serious crimes dropped in Highland Beach and Manalapan, according to statistics compiled by Florida Department of Law Enforcement, while the number of crimes in Gulf Stream, South Palm Beach and Ocean Ridge — which includes Briny Breezes — increased.
The five towns accounted for a total of 96 crimes, 21 fewer than the 117 reported in 2019, with larcenies and auto thefts accounting for the bulk of the incidents.
In the small towns, there were 14 reported burglaries — 10 in Ocean Ridge — compared to 17 the previous year.
The area’s larger cities all saw decreases in burglaries, while Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and Lantana all saw decreases in the total number of crimes reported. Delray Beach had a slight increase in total crimes, in large part due to auto thefts and larcenies.
Highland Beach reported the biggest drop in crime from 2019, with only 12 incidents reported compared to 44 the previous year.
Overall, Palm Beach County reported a 10.3% drop in serious crime, while the state reported a 14.1% decrease.
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