But there was also an increase in violent crime last year. APD Interim Chief Harold Medina said initial speculation that the COVID-19 pandemic would lead to large drops in all categories of crime, particularly property crime, were misleading. “If these individuals are committing such serious crime as auto theft and burglary I don’t think they’re going to follow the public health order and stay home,” he said, adding that in the end, the virus led to increases in some crimes but had “no impact at all” on others. A chart shows the changes in crime statistics over the past three years. (Cathryn Cunningham/Albuquerque Journal)