Shoplifting has skyrocketed in Dallas this year, shooting up by more than 50% compared to 2022.
According to the City of Dallas crime analytics dashboard, there have been 2,520 reported incidents of shoplifting as of December 14, marking a 56.8% increase over the same period last year.
Unlike many other criminal offenses, which are typically spread out to varying degrees across different parts of the city, shoplifting has been especially concentrated in a single council district. So far this year, some 649 offenses have been recorded in Council Member Gay Donnell Willis’ District 13 in northern Dallas. The council district with the second-most offenses is District 11, which is represented by Council Member Jaynie Schultz, with 301 incidents logged, followed by 268 reports in Council Member Paula Blackmon’s District 9.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, District Attorney John Creuzot implemented a short-lived policy of not prosecuting thefts valued at $750 or below. He rescinded the policy after receiving criticism from residents and local law enforcement. Although he won re-election last November, his opponent at the time lambasted him over the policy, characterizing him as being soft on crime.
The Dallas Police Department has been struggling as a consequence of a serious staffing shortage, with only around 3,000 officers currently in its ranks despite a City report recommending some 4,000. The effects of this shortfall are apparent in Downtown Dallas. When compared to the downtown area of Fort Worth, which is patrolled by a specialized police unit and private security guards, Downtown Dallas clocks significantly higher rates of criminal activity.
Looking specifically at District 13, City data indicates that Willis’ council district saw a 65.1% spike in shoplifting offenses, jumping from only 393 incidents last year to 649. While the rate of such crimes being committed appeared to slow in the months following August, overall numbers still put District 13 in a league of its own compared to the 13 other council districts.
A request for comment was sent to Council Member Willis’ office but no reply was received prior to press time.
The Dallas Express, The People’s Paper, believes that important information about the city, such as crime rates and trends, should be easily accessible to you. Dallas has more crime per capita than hotspots like Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and New York, according to data from the FBI’s UCR database.
How did your area stack up on crime? Check out our interactive Crime Map to compare all Dallas City Council Districts. Curious how we got our numbers? Check out our methodology page here.