Los Alamos County crime falls 10%, fraud and theft still dominate reports

The 10% drop in Los Alamos County crime still leaves a familiar pattern in place: fraud, theft and simple assault made up 75% of all police reports in the first quarter of 2026. That means the biggest threat to day-to-day peace of mind is not a dramatic spike in violent crime, but the steady grind of offenses that hit wallets, phones and household routines.

Chief Dino Sgambellone’s April 17 release showed crimes against persons fell to 13 from 17 a year earlier, while crimes against property dropped to 27 from 32. Crimes against society moved in the other direction, rising to 5 from 1, a small number but a reminder that the county’s risk profile has not simply improved across the board.

The biggest shifts were in the details. Aggravated assault fell from 5 to 2, and simple assault slipped from 11 to 10. Larceny and theft rose from 14 to 16, while fraud offenses declined from 10 to 8. Burglary and breaking and entering fell from 4 to 2, and motor vehicle theft dropped from 3 to 0. Destruction of property increased from 0 to 2. Taken together, the figures suggest a community seeing fewer break-ins and car thefts, but still facing persistent losses tied to theft and deception.

That pattern echoes the broader 2025 picture. The county’s annual crime report, published Jan. 30, 2026, said overall crime reported to police fell 20% last year. But it also showed crimes against persons rising from 47 to 56, while property crime fell from 153 to 110 and crimes against society declined from 22 to 12. The county said larceny and fraud continued to drive higher crime rates, which makes the first-quarter 2026 numbers look less like a one-off and more like a continuing shift in what officers are seeing.

The department’s warning to residents is practical. Callers who create urgency and push payment by gift card or cryptocurrency are likely running scams, and the county says people should verify identities with a family code word, use multi-factor authentication and strong passwords, and never call back a number provided by a suspicious caller. Instead, use an official number from a trusted website or the back of a bank card.

Residents with questions about suspicious calls or emails can call the Los Alamos Police Department at 505-662-8222. Commander Chris Ross handles crime-prevention questions at 505-663-1874. Sgambellone, who has led the department since 2013, has overseen the department through CALEA accreditation, and the latest numbers show why the work now centers as much on fraud prevention and digital hygiene as on traditional patrol.