Things are starting to heat up on the protective services front in the Shining Valley. For starters, local businesses have had 28 break-ins in eight weeks.
After spending thousands of dollars on security upgrades, Alex Zbar, who owns several commercial properties in the downtown area, says he doesn't "know where to go from here."
A quick look at B.C. Police Services statistics indicates the number of break and enter offences increased from 115 to 149 between 2007 and 2008 in 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料. Stolen vehicles and thefts from vehicles are two more of those proverbial canaries in the law and order mineshaft.
According to ICBC, vehicle thefts in the district increased from 20 to 40 between 2007 and 2008.Thefts from vehicles rose from 40 to 50 incidents.
But if you dig a little deeper, the numbers take a decidedly more serious turn. The B.C. Police Services stats reveal that in 2007, 49 vehicles were stolen locally.
A year later that figure jumped to 75, a number considerably higher than the one presented by ICBC. According to the police document, thefts from vehicles increased from 163 to 226 during the same period.
In other words the boots on the ground reported 176 more thefts from vehicles in 2008, than were recorded by ICBC. So why is there such a whopping discrepancy?
One theory is if you hail from out of province and your vehicle gets stolen, or broken into, the incident is reported to the RCMP, but not ICBC, since they have no claim jurisdiction.
Another reason for the statistical inconsistency may be because the police figures include thefts that have been attempted, including motorcycles, and other motor vehicles, motorized snow vehicles, and self-propelled farming and construction implements.
Also, the data does not necessarily represent the number of charges laid, prosecutions conducted, or convictions obtained.
In any event, the police numbers indicate we have a problem. Lamentably, there appears to be no consistent effort, either from the RCMP, B.C. Parks, or the district, to maximize Citizens on Patrol, or Neighbourhood Watch, both of which are proven anti-crime programs.
We also need to determine to what degree various auto theft deterrents are being deployed locally, including the highly effective bait car strategy.
While the 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 Sustainability Corporation continues to funnel taxpayers' money into promoting the region, every ripped-off visitor will become a highly vocal counterweight to the district's positive branding ventures.
Signage advising drivers of theft hazards in our provincial parks and parking lots is feeble, or non-existent.
Auto crime is down dramatically in Vancouver, where large, highly visible signs in city parking facilities display versions of the following message: "Please co-operate with the Insurance Corporation of BC and the Vancouver Police Department in deterring theft from autos. Remove possessions from all areas of your vehicle and then lock your vehicle. Remove it or lose it."
These days nearly every communiqu茅 issuing from muni hall, including the much-anticipated Service 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 Initiative, trumpets the sustainability mantra. Sustainability means serving and protecting local businesses, visitors to the community and residents.
Talk is cheap; the District of 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 has to address this important law and order agenda with considerably more zeal than they're demonstrating at the moment.
