2018 Crime Stats out for Queen Charlotte and Masset

New crime stats released by Statistics Canada last month showed a jump in crime for both the Queen Charlotte and Masset communities during 2018.

Both the violent crime severity index and the non-violent crime severity index jumped in each town, although by vastly different amounts.

The rise was much more pronounced in Queen Charlotte, where the violent crime severity index went up 58 per cent. 57 incidents were recorded in 2018, for which 29 people have so far been charged.

Level 1 Assaults stayed about the same, with 20 incidents compared to 21 in 2017. 17 people have been charged. Level 2 Assaults, those with a weapon or causing bodily harm, remained the same with four occurrences. Three charges have been laid so far.

Level 1 Sexual Assaults happened more than the previous four years combined, with seven incidents. Four people have been charged as a result.

Non-violent crime rose almost 15 per cent. The village saw a doubling of Criminal Code traffic violation incidents from the previous year. 17 of the 22 incidents were for impaired driving.

Masset’s violent crime severity index stayed basically unchanged, going up just under half a per cent. Assaults dropped overall, with Level 1 Assaults going from 33 incidents to 19, and Level 2 Assaults going from six to two. 10 people have been charged over the Level 1 Assaults, and one person over the Level 2 incidents.

Sexual Assaults went up however, with four incidents of Level 1 Sexual Assault in 2018 compared to two the year before. Three people have been charged. There were no incidents of Level 2 or 3 Sexual Assaults.

The non-violent crime severity index rose, mostly due to an increase in Criminal Code traffic violations. Six incidents occurred in 2018, for which three people have been charged. All of these were for impaired driving.

Alex Kurial | Journalist

Alex Kurial