These 10 commercial areas in Tacoma have the most reported crimes since 2018
Target stirred up controversy recently when it cited crime as the reason it is closing two Seattle stores.
The retail giant’s announcement and the ensuing outcry in the Emerald City prompted The News Tribune to examine Tacoma Police Department data to see which commercial areas in T-town experience the most crime.
The Top 10 list compiled by The News Tribune specifically includes commercial areas where businesses such as retail stores and markets are located. The list excludes hospitals, police precincts, parks and residential areas. Not all reported crime occurred inside a store in the designated commercial areas, and reported crimes were attributed to the nearest 100 block where they occurred.
For all locations, larceny theft, which is when an individual unlawfully takes someone’s or a business’ personal property, remains the highest reported crime. A larceny theft is different from a robbery because physical force or violence is not used, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to Tacoma Police Department detective and spokesperson William Muse, there were 248 thefts and shoplifts reported in Tacoma from January to September 2023. That is a 34% decrease from the same period last year when 376 thefts and shop lifts were reported.
Muse said there were many shoplifts “gone bad,” where incidents transformed into strong-arm robberies, which is when an individual threatens or causes bodily harm during a larceny theft or robbery.
From January to September of this year, there were 75 strong-arm robberies reported at businesses. That is a decrease from the same period last year when 100 were reported.
Muse said this data was obtained from the Computer Aided Program, which is a system that South Sound 911 uses to log in and dispatch calls.
Here are the commercial areas with the most reported crime in Tacoma:
4500 South Steele Street
On the block: The Tacoma Mall
Reported crimes: 3,635
The Tacoma Mall is the largest shopping center in the city. The block has the highest reported larceny thefts of all other blocks. Since 2018, there have been about 2,176 reported larceny thefts, according to the data. The second-highest reported crime is destruction or vandalism, and third is car thefts.
Notably, there were six cars stolen from the Tacoma Mall parking lot on Sept. 24 in a 24-hour period. The cars were either Kias or Hyundais, according to a News Tribune report.
1900 South 72nd Street
On the block: Tacoma Place
Reported crimes: 1,195
The block where the Tacoma Place shopping center is located had 473 reported larceny thefts. The center is anchored by a WinCo Foods and is home to more than 15 other businesses.
The block also had 213 reported incidents of vandalism/destruction of property and 98 motor vehicle thefts since 2018.
7200 Pacific Avenue
On the block: Fred Meyer
Reported crimes: 895
Since 2018, there have been 345 reported larceny thefts on this Pacific Avenue block. In 2022, there were 108 reported thefts and 29 so far this year.
The second-highest reported crime is vandalism/destruction of property, with 112 since 2018. The third-highest reported crime is motor-vehicle thefts with 111.
7000 Tacoma Mall Boulevard
On the block: Home Depot
Reported crimes: 820
The block had 517 reported larceny thefts since 2018. So far in 2023, there have been 68 reports of theft. Vandalism/destruction of property ranks second, and motor-vehicle thefts ranks third.
3300 South 23rd Street
On the block: Target shopping center
Reported crimes: 740
There were a reported 439 larceny thefts on the Target shopping center’s block near Central Tacoma since 2018. There were 105 reported incidents of vandalism/destruction of property followed by 45 reported motor vehicle thefts.
According to the Associated Press, Target is closing two stores in Seattle, saying that thefts and organized retail crimes have threatened the safety of employees and customers. A message left with Target seeking comment on crime prevention measures undertaken at its Tacoma location was not returned by deadline.
2900 South 38th Street
On the block: Michael’s Plaza
Reported crimes: 564
The block had 306 reported larceny thefts, followed by 81 vandalism/destruction of property incidents since 2018.
In 2022, there were 51 reported larceny thefts. Ten months into 2023, the block, which includes a Michael’s store, a Ross Dress for Less and Guitar Center, has seen 25.
1300 South 38th Street
On the block: Safeway
Reported crimes: 522
There have been 303 reported larceny thefts on the block since 2018. In 2022, there were 136 reported thefts, and so far in 2023 there have been 60.
5900 6th Avenue
On the block: Highland Hill Shopping Center
Reported crimes: 501
Since 2018, there have been 234 reported larceny thefts at the shopping center, also anchored by a WinCo Foods. In 2022 there were 40, and so far this year there have been 48.
Vandalism/destruction of property is the second-highest reported crime on this block. There have been 112 reported incidents since 2018. The third-highest reported crime is fraud, with 39 reports since 2018.
4600 Center Street
On the block: Home Depot
Reported crimes: 479
The block had 304 reports of larceny thefts, which makes up for the majority of the crimes there since 2018. In 2022, there were 137 reports of theft – the highest yearly amount since 2018. There were 37 reports in 2021 and 40 so far in 2023.
700 South 56th Street
On the block: Safeway
Reported crimes: 451
Since 2018, there have been 284 reported larceny thefts. In 2022, the 131 reported thefts marked the highest in a year since 2018 and so far this year there have been 72. There were 29 reported larceny thefts in 2021 and 16 in 2020.
This story was originally published October 17, 2023 at 5:15 AM.
