Another way to say the same thing is to say that most armed criminals prefer handguns.
Where I grew up they prefere machette's, ice-picks, and baseball bats. Doesn't matter what kind of ballistic vest your sporting if you get your arm cut off with a machette or stabbed through your vest with an icepick after the perp is subdued.
I agree most criminals prefere hand guns, easy to hide and get rid of afterwards.