TPD's 'Big 5': Most Major Crimes Down, Murders Stay High In 2020

Tuscaloosa AL

27 January, 2021

7:07 AM

Description

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The coronavirus pandemic certainly had a noticeable impact on crime in 2020 for the city of Tuscaloosa and its police department. Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley regularly updates city leaders on what the department refers to as "The Big Five," which includes burglaries, unlawful breaking and entering, robbery, auto theft and murder. Click here to subscribe to our daily email newsletters and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices for free. You can also support local journalism by donating as little as $5 a month to become a supporting member or by downloading our free Patch mobile app. Murder was the only one of the usual categories that did not see a decline in the number of calls, as the Tuscaloosa Police Department tied its 10-year high for murder calls, along with matching 2019's total at 15. This number of murders logged in 2019 and 2020 is the highest since Tuscaloosa recorded a total of 16 murders within its city limits in 2006. The biggest decrease in the number of calls received came for unlawful breaking and entering, which saw a 39% decline year-over-year, likely the result of the pandemic and people leaving their homes with less frequency. In total, TPD recorded a total of 446 less breaking and entering cases in 2020 compared to the previous year. It is also the first time since 2016 that the number of breaking and entering calls came in under 1,000. Additionally, robberies were down substantially in 2020 after hitting a 10-year high of 204 in 2019. TPD reports 114 robbery calls in 2020, marking the lowest total for the city in the last 15 years. Here's a look at 2020's Big Five data, provided by the Tuscaloosa Police Department, along with historical data looking at stats over the last five years. OFFENSE20202019201820172016Burglary504743746829797Breaking & Entering6851,1311,2101,116824Robbery114204143166178Auto Theft394428310189199Murder151581014 Follow Patch here for updates or on Facebook and Twitter.