(BRENDAN KERGIN / iNFOnews.ca)

Businesses can't catch a break as property crime continues to rise in Kamloops.

By the end of the year, break ins at local businesses were up by 20 per cent when compared to 2021, according to recent Kamloops RCMP statistics.

That's 393 reported break and enters in 2022 compared to 328 a year earlier, with 114 occurring just in the last three months.

But it's not just break ins. Property crime in general is up by about 16% from 2021, according to the Kamloops detachment's year-end report.

The report details how many crimes were reported to Kamloops RCMP during the year, but it doesn't detail how many investigations concluded, resulting in charges or convictions.

READ MORE: Kamloops cops solving fewer crimes

Residential break ins are up slightly, with 207 reported this year. That's similar to 2021 when 200 were reported, but a larger increase from the 147 reported to Kamloops RCMP in 2020. Vehicle thefts are up to 530, compared to 358 in 2021 and 279 in 2020.

The only property crime that appeared to drop from 2021 was a 3% change in thefts from vehicles.

When speaking to council in September 2022, now-Supt. Jeff Pelley blamed a rise in property crime on a small group of prolific offenders, joining a growing wave of B.C. law enforcement agencies taking action on repeat offenders.

There are 16 prolific offenders being "managed" by a new Kamloops RCMP unit dedicated to the small group. Five of them are currently in custody and two are serving intermittent sentences. Among those in custody, three of them are the city's most prolific vehicle thieves, according to a letter Pelley wrote to council.

While business break ins were more frequent in 2022 than the previous year, it's still a slight dip from the 404 reported in 2020. Police suspect businesses were targeted that year because many were either closed or open less frequently during the height of COVID-19 restrictions.

While property crime on the whole is up by 16% this year, crimes against people dropped by just 1%. The report doesn't detail how those numbers breakdown, but generally applies to violent crime.

Pelley will present the report to a City council committee on Feb. 9.

READ MORE: Kamloops cops get more proactive with repeat offenders

To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2023