Violent crime in this city has dropped by 13 per cent, according to recent RCMP statistics.
Statistics released every quarter by the Surrey RCMP show that in the first nine months of this year, violent crime – particularly attempted murder and robbery – have dropped significantly when compared to the same period last year.
Attempted murder was down 25 per cent in the first three quarters of this year, while robbery was down 38 per cent.
Common assault was down 10 per cent, a decline pretty evenly seen throughout the city.
Murders remained the same during that period in the last two years at eight.
However, there were hot spots.
Attempted murder in Guildford and Fleetwood was up 500 per cent, going from just one to six of the city’s 18 incidents.
As was the case last year, there were more murders in Whalley and Newton, which combined to account for seven of the eight murders during the first three quarters of both years.
Property crimes, as in previous years, occurred primarily in Newton, Whalley and the Guildford/Fleetwood districts, with each area doubling property crime in South Surrey and Cloverdale.
Crimes that were up overall, included residential break and enter (up 12 per cent), theft from vehicle (22 per cent), identity theft and fraud (three per cent) and shoplifting, which was up two per cent.
Prostitution, which occurred primarily in Newton and Whalley, was up 119 per cent.
Overall, crime in Surrey was up one per cent during the first three quarters of this year, when compared to last year.
Surrey RCMP Sgt. Alanna Dunlop said the numbers are encouraging, but Mounties are keeping an eye on some of the highlights.
Of note were thefts from vehicles, which remained high city-wide, but saw some of the largest increases in South Surrey and Cloverdale.
“That category (of crime) is one that’s largely preventable,” Dunlop said Thursday. “We still see people leaving electronics, wallets, things you would never want to leave visible in your vehicle.”
If there is a line up of vehicles, and one has something in it, that’s the one that will be targeted, Dunlop said.
Another preventable crime is residential break and enters, which were up 12 per cent city wide.
Many of those offences were where a culprit gained entrance through a garage and an interior door was open.
Outbuildings of homes are also being broken into, which can be simply a matter of installing a paddle lock.
The Surrey RCMP third quarter stats can be viewed in full at this link: http://surrey.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/digitalAssets/53/53924_Q3_2016_en.pdf
