How does theft hurt a community?

Answer 1

My community recently experienced a theft problem.

The theft did not hurt our community. Instead, we came together in an unified effort and finally caught the thieves.

However, I have seen other communities torn completely apart by theft, resulting in murders, etc...

Theft affects each community differently because each community is comprised of different people.

Answer 2

Theft (as well as any other crime) can hurt a community in various ways.

Enough thefts in a community usually results in increased police presence. Sometimes residents will notice this and think negatively of their community. "If the police are always around, this must be a bad area."

Some cities report their crime statistics, including grand and petty theft to the FBI. In turn, the FBI publishes these stats and some companies compile this data to show which communities are more desirable or not. Some homebuyers see these stats and tend to stay away from communities with high crime stats, thus driving down property values.

Answer 3

It drives up insurance rates.
It consumes valuable police time.