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Murders down in Vancouver
Vancouver had its lowest murder rate in more than 25 years in 2010 as the city’s crime rate dropped in more than a dozen categories from the previous year.
There were only nine murders in the city last year compared to 18 in 2009 and 2008.
Attempted murder was also down 44 per cent last year — to 10 victims from 18 in 2009 — and robberies were down 19 per cent from 1,338 to 1,082.
Vancouver Police spokesman Const. Lindsey Houghton said Wednesday the decreases in crime rates last year from 2009 was “very encouraging” and was in part because of the VPD’s proactive strategy of fighting crime.
Total reported crime was down 5.8 per cent from 2009 while reported violent crime dropped 2.9 per cent. The rates were released as part of the VPD crime statistics for 2010 in a report called Crime Trends for 2009 and 2010.
Houghton said the VPD has received “great support” financuially from the city and city council in recent years “to be able to increase to full capacity in our patrol squads so they have a lot more time to be proactive and be visible out there policing.”
Property crime was down 9 per cent while break and enters of homes was down 7 per cent and B&E of busineses was down 12 per cent. But still 2,673 homes were broken into in the city compareded to 2,875 in 2009.
Theft of motor vehicles was down more than 15 per cent and theft from motor vehicles was down 14.5 from 2,445 in 2009 to2,068 last year.
Sexual offences were up 8 per cent to 617 reported crimes from 570 in 2009. Fraud was also up 14 per cent.
“The term sexual offences covers the whole gamut from just someone being touched [inapropriately] all the way up to the most violent rape,” said Houghton. “The majority of the increase we saw are in the groping style of sexual assaults.”
He said the majority of the sexual offences occurred in the Granville Entertainment District downtown when women, who are intoxicated, are being “groped.” |
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發表於 2011-1-20 07:17
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