Crime rates are up in Sarasota County and the category that’s risen fastest is taking some by surprise. That’s residential larceny, meaning people are stealing all kinds of things from homes at a higher rate than before. Even while rates for violent crimes such as assault, murder and rape have held steady or dropped, incidents of people stealing from other people have jumped. Police say that can be everything from a residential breakin to simply walking away with a person’s bag while the victim is in the water at a beach. Car thefts and some other categories have declined.
