”People who used to be held days or weeks are released within the hour in many cases”

◼ Rash of burglaries sweep through Eureka, Trinidad: Authorities point to realignment - Lorna Rodriguez and Catherine Wong/The Times-Standard

A recent spike in crime saw the Eureka Police Department taking multiple burglary reports every day this week, and officials in Trinidad said they are also receiving a steady number of burglary reports and complaints at city hall.

”All the thefts are up,” EPD Sgt. Steve Watson said. “It definitely feels like that problem has increased, so it's very busy with these types of calls.”

The department received 116 reports of burglaries and thefts in progress in the month of April, including one where a woman not only lost heirloom jewelry but a laptop, external hard drive and flash drives containing her master's thesis. Last weekend, a thief was caught on tape stealing $1,800 worth of surveillance cameras from Redwood Electronics.

Between Sunday and Thursday, the EPD received 16 reports of burglaries, including car break-ins.

The EPD has received a number of calls about vehicle thefts, shoplifters and sometimes identity theft as well, Watson said. This week alone, the department recovered three stolen cars in one day.

Trinidad has also experienced an increase in crime, according to City Clerk Gabe Adams....

”The immediate increase is due, in no small part, to the prison realignment and it's impact on the local jail system,” Watson said. “There's been a definite correlation, at least in this town. You can see it.”

Prison realignment was intended to reduce overcrowding in state prisons by amending around 500 non-violent, non-sexual or non-serious criminal statutes to sentences in county jails. As a result, people who commit less serious crimes are often booked and released.

”People who used to be held days or weeks are released within the hour in many cases,” Watson said. “Less people are getting caught. They know, at least right away, they won't do as much time in jail.”