Thefts, B&Es drive increase in calls to Vernon RCMP

An increase in thefts and break-and-enters led to an uptick in calls to the Vernon RCMP this past quarter.

There were 5,770 calls for service in Vernon in quarter three, according to the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP report, up 11 per cent from the previous quarter. Criminal Code offences and property crimes also saw modest rises this quarter.

In terms of the 15 most common and impactful crime categories, Vernon saw a 14 per cent overall rise compared to the same time last year.

Commercial break and enters were up dramatically in Vernon with 50 files from July to September 2021, a 212 per cent increase from the same months in 2020.

Residential break-and-enters were up 50 per cent this quarter, and vehicle thefts rose 83 per cent for a total of 42 files.

The report states that in late August through September, Vernon saw a significant increase in break and enters and thefts from businesses in the downtown core.

After a lengthy investigation, the Crime Reduction Unit arrested a 32-year-old man and a 30-year-old man following a break into La Carraia Gelato on Oct. 4. The investigation is ongoing.

In Vernon rural, assaults rose 44 per cent from nine cases to 13 from this quarter over third quarter 2020.

In August, Vernon Serious Crimes Unit (SCU) assisted the North Rural with the investigation of an assault with a weapon where the suspect had assaulted two victims, fled the crime scene and later died from self-inflicted injuries. The investigation is concluded.

During this quarter, Crown counsel approved second-degree murder charges regarding a homicide that took place in February 2020. The Vernon SCU arrested and interviewed the accused who remains in custody and the matter is before the courts.

Also during this quarter, the Sex Crimes Unit investigated three reports of sexual interference, two reports of child abuse, a report of a sexual assault with potentially multiple victims, forcible confinement and sexual assault, while obtaining nine child interviews. The unit also arrested a sex offender in breach of conditions for the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA), and applied for a search warrant to seize the cellphone from a sex offender on probation.

Calls for service in Coldstream totalled 525, up 23 per cent from the previous quarter.

Calls in Vernon rural were up 20 per cent to a total of 543.