Property crimes, break and enters leave resident feeling unsafe

“[The break and enters] make me feel unsafe and unsafe in every area of the city,” Pam Randall said. “I know that I don’t live in the greatest area, but I mean, there’s break-ins happening in really good areas as well.”

Randall’s house along the 400 block of 13th St. E experienced two break-ins less than seven days apart in early July.

First, her garage door was kicked in and destroyed; power tools along with an axe were missing. Four days later her home was broken into and small electronics and her driver’s licence were taken.

Randall figures her situation could have been much worse when her house was broken into.

A neighbour who had come by looking for his dog, which had gone missing from his yard the same night, spotted Randall’s keys tucked under a tree in her yard. She figures the thieves may have placed the keys there in the hopes of returning.

In total, Randall said she spent roughly $3,000 replacing doors, changing locks and installing security systems to make the house feel secure again. Despite her spending on security, she’s still moved out of her home.

“Later on that week, there was another break-in just down the road from me, and it just seems like it’s getting out of hand,” Randall said. “I’m scared to be in my house. I’m not sleeping. It’s awful; you just don’t feel safe.”

She’s moved into her parent’s house, in what she describes as a “good neighbourhood,” but there was just a break-in just down the road from them.

P.A.P.S response to property crimes

Police Chief Troy Cooper said the issue of property crime is not a local issue. Saskatchewan and other western provinces have seen an influx in crime due to the prevalence of methamphetamine.

“We have people now…who are addicted to a very powerful drug that has them going out every day trying to feed that habit,” he said. “What that looks like for you and I is property crime.”

Cooper called the drug and its associated crimes “a real challenge.” He wants the public to know there is more property crime than what was the norm before, and extra vigilance is required. Cooper advised residents not leave keys in their cars, to lock their sheds and not leave valuables in plain sight.

The chief said his forces are targeting the known offenders first— those who were out nearly every day committing crimes. He added police are tackling the drug problem head on.

“We think that if we can address the drugs themselves, the trafficking of the drugs, and put the people who are bringing them into our community in jail, then it’ll certainly assist in reducing property crime as well,” Cooper said.

– With files from Teena Monteleone

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas

by Bryan Eneas

Property crimes, break and enters leave resident feeling unsafe

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