Increase is the common term used to compared the Kelowna crime statistics for the last quarter of 2018 compared to the previous year.
Crime offenses are up in property crimes, 6.3 per cent; downtown property crime, 7.8 per cent; bicycle theft, 60.6 per cent; theft from vehicles, 25.2 per cent; and against person in the downtown, 5.9 per cent.
The lone decrease reported by Kelowna RCMP is in person offences overall, a drop of 6.6 per cent.
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For 2018 overall compared to 2017, it’s all about increase again—calls for service, 55,152 up two per cent, which is also up 12.2 per cent since 2014; property crime offenses, up 10.1 per cent; person offences up five per cent; and other criminal charges up 8.7 per cent.
The one crime drop occurred in the person offences category, a decrease of 2.7 per cent.
In its quarterly crime report to Kelowna council, along with the crime statistical update, Kelowna RCMP also cited ongoing proactive initiatives to combat crime.
Those measures include partnering with social service groups, continuing a focus on the Downtown Drug Project, speed enforcement especially in school zones and volunteer initiatives such as Citizens on Patrol, Speed Watch and CPOs (Community Peace Officers) which together added up to 9,200 hours in 2018.
barry.gerding@blackpress.ca
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