The Poynter Institute Menu Donate State Editions * California * Florida * Iowa * Michigan * New Hampshire * New York * North Carolina * Pennsylvania * Texas * West Virginia * Wisconsin Issues * All Issues * Online hoaxes * Coronavirus * Health Care * Immigration * Extremism * Taxes * Marijuana * Environment * Crime * Guns * Foreign Policy * LGBTQ+ People * Joe Biden * Kamala Harris * Donald Trump * Mitch McConnell * Hakeem Jeffries * Ron DeSantis Media * PunditFact * Tucker Carlson * Sean Hannity * Rachel Maddow * Bloggers * PolitiFact Videos Campaigns * 2024 Elections Truth-o-Meter * True * Mostly True * Half True * Mostly False * False * Pants on Fire Promises * Biden Promise Tracker * Trump-O-Meter * Obameter * Latest Promises About Us * Our Process * Our Staff * En Español * Who pays for PolitiFact? * Advertise with Us * Suggest a Fact-check * Corrections and Updates * Newsletters Donate #### Follow us The Facts Newsletter Sign up English Español ### Get PolitiFact in your inbox. * Weekly Email Newsletter * Daily Email Newsletter Your Email Address Sign Up ![](\\" kriseman1a/13b585861c0d7323abe6f04aab6e6f6b.jpg\\") ![](\\" kriseman1a/c6bf2d74aabd4dbd7278773c2eed5fe6.jpg\\") Rick Kriseman stated on July 23, 2017 in posts on Twitter and Facebook: There were 2,761 auto thefts in 2006 under Rick Baker and 1,095 auto thefts in 2016. ![\\"true\\"](\\" mostly-true/4ac7c61540eff5211f6a04d98a6bc93a.jpg.\\") ![\\"mostly- true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") * Crime * Public Safety * Florida * Rick Kriseman ![\\"Incumbent](\\" Incumbent Mayor Rick Kriseman and former Mayor Rick Baker debate in front of a live television audience during the City of St. Petersburg Mayoral Debate at the Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg on July 25, 2017. (DIRK SHADD | Times) ![\\"Allison](\\" By Allison Graves July 27, 2017 # Taking a closer look at the auto-theft problem in St. Petersburg Whose epidemic is it anyway? The leading candidates in St. Petersburg’s mayoral race are trading blows over the city’s issue with automobile theft ahead of the Aug. 29 primary. Former Mayor Rick Baker told a Tampa Bay Times reporter that auto theft is \"now at epidemic proportions\" under Mayor Rick Kriseman. Kriseman defended himself on Twitter and Facebook with a graphic showing the problem appeared worse during Baker’s time in office. According to Kriseman’s post, there were 2,761 auto thefts in 2006 under Baker, compared with 1,095 auto thefts in 2016 under Kriseman. ![](\\" hawmd3RXKjgoW1xg3mb9h23lMHS2dL6akkyFbaDRfaA_vYIRbcIjr- sotBtIlrBiy8xKH4vDHnkuVmc7\\"/) With our colleagues at the Tampa Bay Times investigating the juvenile car- theft problem, we wanted to look at the trend under both mayors. The numbers Kriseman reported from the St. Petersburg Police Department checked out for those years. Baker was mayor from April 2001 to January 2010. Kriseman’s campaign plucked the worst year to make its counterpunch. The year 2006 was the highest point for auto thefts since 2000 — although most other years were higher than any point in Kriseman’s three full years since taking office in 2014. Choosing to compare raw numbers from Baker\'s 2008 and Kriseman\'s 2015, though, could leave a different impression, with 1,461 and 1,523 thefts, respectively. What does the bigger story tell you? The rate of car thefts in St. Petersburg remains far higher than the national and state average, shown below, regardless of who was mayor. \"The number of auto-thefts, the number of auto burglaries, it’s something you need to watch and something that’s important, but the impact of the activity is more important than anything else,\" Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said. And in recent years, the impact of automobile thefts, specifically juvenile auto thefts, has been a priority for the department. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 15, 2024 in a news conference California law lets you “rob a store as long as it’s not more than $950” and “not get charged.” Kamala Harris “did that.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Jeff Cercone • August 19, 2024 The Tampa Bay Times documented the automobile theft issue, finding that children in Pinellas County were arrested more for stealing cars than anywhere else in Florida. Gualtieri said 2015 was \"ground zero\" for the juvenile auto-theft problem and said that’s when the department really started noticing the trend of young kids stealing cars. In early 2016, three teenage girls drove a stolen car into a cemetery pond and drowned. At the time, Gualtieri called the incident \"unacceptable.\" \"Solutions need to come deep from within the community,\" Gualtieri said at the time. \"Kids need to know there are consequences. This is a systematic and complex problem.\" Automobile thefts became a priority for police in 2015 and 2016 — leading to a year-over-year drop. Law enforcement officials consider juvenile auto thefts a countywide problem; a drop in St. Petersburg doesn’t necessarily mean the problem is over. Detective Paul Etcheson, who’s been with the police department for almost nine years and works in the property crime unit, described automobile theft in St. Petersburg as a \"revolving door.\" \"The reason the numbers have fallen in the previous months is because we have juveniles placed in programs, or on 21-day hold or something,\" he said. \"As soon as they get back, they’re right back at it.\" As we said, 2006 was a high point for auto theft. We wanted to understand why. Police officer Mark Williams, who has been with the deparment for over a decade, said cars were simply easier to steal in 2005 and 2006 like the Dodge Ram 1500. Older cars could be broken into with a screwdriver or a pair of scissors, he said. Williams said automakers have done a better job of eliminating access points on cars. For instance, key holes are only on the driver side rather than on all doors. In response to Kriseman’s image, Baker said, \"I’ve been to 50 neighborhood organizations in the last six months and if Rick Kriseman thinks he doesn’t have an auto theft problem, he needs to get out more.\" Kriseman’s campaign emphasized the mayor is still concerned about automobile thefts, and said the image was meant to undermine Baker’s remark that automobile theft is at \"epidemic proportions.\" Our ruling Kriseman pushed back against Baker calling the auto-theft problem an \"epidemic\" with a graphic that said there were 2,761 auto thefts in 2006 under Baker and 1,095 auto thefts in 2016. Those numbers are accurate, but more information is needed to understand the full story. Kriseman cherry-picked the year of Baker’s two terms with the highest amount of theft and compared it with his lowest year. To his overall point, the automobile theft per capita in St. Petersburg has been significantly higher than the national and state rates, regardless of who was in office. We rate this claim Mostly True. Share the Facts 2017-07-27 18:26:16 UTC PolitiFact ![\\"PolitiFact\\"](\\" logo-big.jpg\\"/) 5 1 7 ![\\"PolitiFact](\\" mostlytrue.jpg\\") PolitiFact Rating: Mostly True There were 2,761 auto thefts in 2006 under Rick Baker and 1,095 auto thefts in 2016. Rick Kriseman Mayor ![](\\" posts on social media Sunday, July 23, 2017 2017-07-23 Read More info #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Interview, Jacob Smith, Rick Kriseman’s campaign manager, July 25-27 2017 Email exchange, Brigitta Shouppe, campaign spokeswoman for Rick Baker, July 25 Interview, St. Petersburg Police Chief Tony Holloway, July 25, 2017 Interview, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, July 24, 2017 Interview, Detective Paul Etcheson with the St. Petersburg Police Department, July 26, 2017 Interview, Officer Mark Williams, July 27, 2017 Interviews, St. Petersburg Police Department spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez, July 26, 2017 FBI UCR Data, 2000-2014, property crime rates, crime reported by St. Petersburg Police Dept, Florida, accesses July 25, 2017 FBI UCR Data, 2000-2014, property crime rates, estimated crime in United States -Total, accessed July 25, 2017 FBI UCR Data, 2000-2014, property crime rates, estimated crime in Florida, accessed July 25, 2017 St. Petersburg police department, motor vehicle theft, 2015-16 Tampa Bay Times, \"Hot Wheels,\" April 2017 Tampa Bay Times, \"5 ways officials are trying to stop Pinellas\' teenage car thieves,\" July 21 Tampa Bay Times, \"Three teenage girls dead after stolen car plunges into St. Petersburg pond,\" March 31, 2016 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Allison Graves ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on May 15, 2018 in a post on Facebook: \"Legendary Actor Sidney Poitier: Donald Trump might become \'The Greatest Of All Time.\' \" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 17, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" The Collective super PAC stated on May 11, 2018 in an ad: Says Gwen Graham \"voted against President Obama 52 percent of the time.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 17, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on May 14, 2018 in a post on the Internet: Says Julia Roberts told Celine Dion, \"If you hate Trump you can go in your country.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 15, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Democratic Governors Association stated on July 13, 2018 in a post on Medium: Says Adam Putnam \"backed a water bill that gutted water quality regulations.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • July 18, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Rick Scott stated on June 13, 2018 in an ad: Says Sen. 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He passed a resolution to raise the minimum wage, which actually no one got the benefit of because it was not enforced.\" ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • June 9, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Florida Democratic Party stated on June 6, 2018 in in a press release: \"Flip Flop! After opposing term limits for decades, Adam Putnam adopts Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis’ position.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • June 8, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Ron DeSantis stated on June 2, 2018 in during a BBQ : \"The bulk of the problem with the opioid epidemic is the fentanyl and all the synthetic drugs coming across the southern border.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • June 7, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Florida House Majority Office stated on May 17, 2018 in a video: It is a \"myth\" that \"per-student funding only rose by 47 cents this year.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 30, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Senate Majority PAC stated on May 21, 2018 in in an ad: Says Bill Nelson is \"one of America’s most independent senators.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 24, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on May 14, 2018 in a post on Facebook: \"BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump On His Way To Donate Kidney To Melania Trump.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 17, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on May 15, 2018 in a post on Facebook: \"Legendary Actor Sidney Poitier: Donald Trump might become \'The Greatest Of All Time.\' \" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 17, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" The Collective super PAC stated on May 11, 2018 in an ad: Says Gwen Graham \"voted against President Obama 52 percent of the time.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 17, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on May 14, 2018 in a post on the Internet: Says Julia Roberts told Celine Dion, \"If you hate Trump you can go in your country.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • May 15, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Democratic Governors Association stated on July 13, 2018 in a post on Medium: Says Adam Putnam \"backed a water bill that gutted water quality regulations.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Allison Graves • July 18, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Rick Scott stated on June 13, 2018 in an ad: Says Sen. 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There were 2761 auto thefts in 2006 under Rick Baker and 1095 auto thefts in 2016