Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK
April 29, 2019 - 3:42 PM
KELOWNA - The increase in Kelowna’s crime rate is likely to continue if drug addicts can’t get treatment.
That was a key point RCMP Supt. Brent Mundle delivered to Kelowna city council during his quarterly crime statistics update today, April 29.
“The big issue we’re dealing with in the community is a social issue with respect to substance abuse,” Mundle told council in response to a question. “As I’ve said many times before, substance abuse, in my strong opinion, is fuelling a lot of our property crime."
“There is much more we can do in the community with respect to providing services and treatments and alternatives to these individuals. The reality of it is, I think, some of my numbers with respect to property crime will continue to increase until we can get a handle on some of the social issues and primarily the drug related problems at that level in the community.”
Property crime went up by about 10 per cent in 2018 to almost 9,300 cases.
On the other hand, he noted, a lot of theft from automobiles could be prevented if people would lock their cars and remove valuables.
For example, if a wallet is stolen from a car, the number of crimes associated with that theft increases when credit cards are used to commit fraud.
“There has been a spike in theft of vehicles recently,” he added. “Lots of those have the keys left in them, then those are used in other crimes.”
Mundle also pointed out the rise in property crime rates is happening in other B.C. and Canadian cities.
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