Data: Property damage is top crime committed in troubled El Paseo corridor in Las Cruces
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - What was once a vibrant street in Las Cruces is now a troubled corridor with abandoned buildings, broken glass and graffiti.
Over a six-month period, businesses along the El Paseo corridor had dozens of incidents of property crime, according to city data obtained by ABC-7. The vast majority were smaller incidents, with less than $1,000 in damage. (See data below)
| Crime committed | Frequency |
| Misdemeanor criminal damage to property (less than $1,000) | 41 |
| Felony criminal damage to property (more than $1,000) | 11 |
| Commercial burglary | 10 |
| Non-residential burglary | 2 |
| Breaking and entering | 2 |
On Thursday, Mayor Ken Miyagishima joined ABC-7 News Operations Manager Tom Scott to meet with business owners who were frustrated by the continuous damage to property.
Debbi Caldwell, the owner of Little Friends Daycare, shared surveillance video of a vandal breaking a window overnight.
"With our building, they've gotten in once," Caldwell said. "This is the fourth window we've had to replace."
City leaders say a local motel may be partially to blame for the crime in the area. Stay tuned to ABC-7 for updates.
