Penticton’s crime rate more than doubled in 2019.

According to figures released by Stats Canada on Oct. 29, excluding traffic violations, there were 7,957 incidents in Penticton in 2019, compared to 5,210 in 2018.

The crime rate in Penticton, per 100,000 population, rose from 14,424.54 to 21,894.3 from 2018 to 2019, an increase of 51.79 per cent.

The Crime Severity Index, which is based on volume and severity of police-reported crime in Canada, and has a base index value of 100 for 2006, also rose. The average for B.C. is 104.4, and in Penticton in 2019, was 233.11.

That was a 63 per cent increase from 2018’s Crime Severity Index statistic of 143.01.

Separately, the violent Crime Severity Index rose from 69.73 to 182.15, for a 161.22 per cent increase.

In 2019, Penticton witnessed the multiple-homicide committed by John Brittain, though this was not the only violent offence that year.

There were 997 incidents of violent Criminal Code violations in 2019, which does include criminal harassment, uttering threats and forcible confinement. In 2018, there 462 violations.

Sexual assaults also rose from 2018 to 2019, increasing from 18 sexual assaults to 42.

The non-violent Crime Severity Index increased from 2018 to 2019 from 169.03 to 250.89, for a 48.43 per cent increase.

Of the 7,975 incidents in 2019, 733 were deemed unfounded, compared to 525 in 2018. In 2019, 241 violent violations were considered unfounded of the total 997.

Three of the 42 sexual assaults in 2019 were deemed unfounded, compared to nine in 2018.

Year over year, Penticton’s crime rate has increased. The increase from 2018 to 2019 was the largest single increase in the last five years, with 2015 increasing by 17.76 per cent over 2014, 2016 by 3.38 over 2015, 2017 by 7.25 over 2016 and 2018 by 6.66 per cent over 2017.

READ MORE: Property crime down in Penticton, say RCMP

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