I see smoke, but the fire department has not confirmed that there’s a fire. Therefore, there’s no fire, and ideology is the only reason I might believe?

Note that I didn’t say “without evidence” at the end - smoke is evidence, as is an article that you’re commenting on talking about thefts that are common enough to make half of a city’s citizens victims in a five year period. And, you cite a source that notes that people aren’t reporting because nothing comes of it.

I mean, what reason other than ideology would explain your unwillingness to take that stuff as evidence?