Like everything else in the world during 2020, crime came to a halt for a few months as people hunkered down in their homes for lockdowns and quarantines imposed amidst the threat of COVID-19. The crime rate was already decreasing in February, but when the majority of states began issuing stay at home orders between March and April, it fell drastically. Specifically, the crime rate fell by 23% in the first months of these lockdowns according to data from Econofact. Across 25 major US cities – including New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and more – all types of crime decreased and remained low relative to past years even as these cities eased their COVID restrictions. However, the crime rates post COVID have been steadily increasing across the country.
Even when crime rates were down during the summer of 2020, many businesses still were victims. Civil unrest ravaged the country as protestors, counter-protestors, and opportunists took advantage of the situation, destroying property and looting storefronts. While most protests were overall peaceful, many businesses are still recovering from the aftermath.
Crime rates post COVID-19 have risen at a rate consistent with that of lockdown restrictions being eased or entirely lifted. As the population gets back into their normal routines and becomes more comfortable traveling, criminals have regained opportunities to strike.
Another factor to consider as we continue to see these rates rise is COVID-19 had a significant impact on many citizen’s sources of income and we are beginning to see the increase in theft that follows such events. Due to this, many businesses are updating their security to better match the new world and the new threats it holds.
This rise in crime is expected to continue and Isotec Security is here for all your security needs with an array of different solutions, like our Mantrap Security Doors with riot glass, for a wide variety of industries. Contact Us today for pricing and leasing information so you can get on the path to a more secure environment!