11 September 2026
Detroit Leads on Property Crime: Larceny and Motor Vehicle Theft on the Rise
#FactsMatter, the Citizens Research Council of Michigan podcast
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In this episode, Guy Gordon talks with Doug Ortiz, Director of the Citizen Research Council’s Detroit, about Detroit’s property crime trends, specifically about larceny, motor‑vehicle theft, and why Detroit’s rates remain elevated. Ortiz’s analysis used FBI data and the Research Council's peer‑city benchmarking.
Detroit’s property crime is down from the 1990s — but still higher than peer cities. They dig into FBI data, compare Detroit to six similar cities, and explore how poverty, unemployment, and income inequality drive crime trends. Ortiz explains why community‑based policing works, why tech tools like Project Green Light help but aren’t enough, and why benchmarking matters more than raw numbers.
Detroit’s property crime has improved dramatically over decades, but peer cities have outpaced its progress. Benchmarking reveals gaps that absolute numbers alone obscure — especially in motor‑vehicle theft, which continues to shape quality of life, insurance costs, and regional perceptions.
A clear, fact‑driven look at where Detroit stands — and where it needs to go.
Detroit’s property crime is down from the 1990s — but still higher than peer cities. They dig into FBI data, compare Detroit to six similar cities, and explore how poverty, unemployment, and income inequality drive crime trends. Ortiz explains why community‑based policing works, why tech tools like Project Green Light help but aren’t enough, and why benchmarking matters more than raw numbers.
Detroit’s property crime has improved dramatically over decades, but peer cities have outpaced its progress. Benchmarking reveals gaps that absolute numbers alone obscure — especially in motor‑vehicle theft, which continues to shape quality of life, insurance costs, and regional perceptions.
A clear, fact‑driven look at where Detroit stands — and where it needs to go.