New data shows major crimes down in Pueblo

There is a battle of perception versus reality when it comes to crime in Pueblo.

Pueblo police released data that shows major crimes dropped by three percent in 2015 as compared to 2014.

A website last year claimed Pueblo is the most dangerous city in Colorado. Officers in the police union say they don’t feel safe under the current administration and people perceive the Steel City as crime-ridden.

“They’ll steal from you. They’ll rob you. They don’t care,” Pueblo resident Robert Arellano said of the city’s criminal element.

Mike Ellis witnessed the first and only officer-involved shooting last year. He said being nearby when the shooting occurred was scary and it was a day he will never forget. Ellis said the police are doing a good job.

“I haven’t noticed as much crime since then,” Ellis said.

That’s a perception Chief Luis Velez said is a reality when it comes to the data.

Pueblo police said when combining the major crimes, like homicide, sexual assaults, robberies, burglaries, theft, aggravated assault, auto theft and arson, the number went down from 8,030 in 2014 to 7,759 in 2015.

Velez said a lot of the negativity about the crime rates comes from a growing problem.

“We did have a spike in gang-related crime, especially in the summer of 2015 and I think that really was a thing that generated a lot of the perceptual issues regarding our crime,” he said.

There was an increase in arson, aggravated assaults and auto thefts in 2015, Velez said continuing the Safe Streets Task Force could drive down the number of aggravated assaults in 2016.

Pueblo major crime numbers:

Homicides 2014: 13 2015: 13

Sexual assaults 2014: 188 2015: 166

Robberies 2014: 186 2015: 174

Burglaries 2014: 1,972 2015: 1,930

Theft/Larceny 2014: 4,531 2015: 4,046

Aggravated assaults 2014: 441 2015: 494

Auto theft 2014: 663 2015: 899

Arson 2014: 36 2015: 37

Overall 2014: 8,030 2015: 7,759