Petition against parole Daughter wants mom’s killer to stay in jail Kevin MILLS
trial, it was established that Toor drove the car that Abbotsford News transported the men to and from the crime scene. Toor has now applied for parole. The daughter of a murdered Abbotsford woman Sidhu wants to make sure Toor does not get out. is asking for the public’s help to keep one of the She wants members of the public to sign her killers behind bars. family’s online petition against Toor’s parole claim Rupy Sidhu has created an online petition to and “help keep criminals like this behind bars, deny parole to Sandeep Toor. where they belong.” On April 19, 1998, Sidhu’s mother, Baljit Kaur But she and her family don’t have a lot of time. Kondolay, was brutally murdered in Langley. She “We have to submit our petition and our victim was shot twice in the head in front of her home. impact statement by the end of August,” explained Police arrested three men – Kondolay’s husband BALJIT KONDOLAY Sidhu. Ajit Grewall, his son Sukhjit Grewall and the son’s At the beginning of September, the family will be friend, Toor. The Grewalls both received life in prison for first degree notified when the parole hearing will take place in Victoria. To view Sidhu’s online petition, visit: murder, with no chance of parole for 25 years. Toor was senhttps://www.change.org/petitions/no-parole-for-sandeeptenced to life in prison with no chance for parole for 12 years toor-send-to-the-national-parole-board. for the lesser charge of second degree murder. During his
Stats show crime down seven per cent
Abbotsford News Thursday, August 1, 2013
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The latest national stats show that crime in the AbbotsfordMission census metropolitan area (CMA) dropped seven per cent from 2011 to 2012. The area recorded the 11th highest crime rate among the 33 CMAs included by Statistics Canada for 2012 and was the 10th highest in its crime severity index. The crime stats were released last Thursday by the national agency. Abbotsford-Mission tallied 6,148 Criminal Code offences per 100,000 population in 2012, compared to the national average of 5,588. The area also recorded a crime severity index of 83.4, a drop of six per cent compared to its 2011 figure of 87.9. The index is a formula based on the number of crimes in a CMA and the severity of each offence. The national average is 75. Abbotsford Police spokesman Const. Ian MacDonald said although the area’s crime rate and crime severity index are
higher than the national average, the rate is lower for the number of violent crimes. “For a community formerly known as the Murder Capital of Canada, it’s those violent stats that have become important, but I’d say we’re working hard to bring all our numbers down.” Abbotsford topped national stats for its six murders in 2008 and 11 in 2009 – many gang-related – but has since drastically reduced those numbers. There were three murders in 2012, and two so far this year. MacDonald said the APD views the recent crime stats as “all right.” “I don’t know if you’re ever pleased if you’re trying to be the safest city in B.C. (and the numIan MacDonald bers aren’t there yet),” he said. The three CMAs recording the highest crime rates were Kelowna (8,875), Regina (8,755) and Saskatoon (8,512), while the lowest was Toronto (3,131). Toronto also had the lowest crime severity index at 52.1, while the three highest were Regina (116), Saskatoon (107.1) and Kelowna (104.1).
I don’t know if you’re ever pleased if you’re trying to be the safest city in B.C.
F OR
National numbers for Abbotsford-Mission CMA released Vikki HOPES
is recognized as the victimization of women who often have addiction issues or sexual-abuse histories. “If you think of the women involved in the sex trade as your daughters, mothers, sisters or aunts, you’ll see why we go after the consumers.” MacDonald said prostitution in Abbotsford isn’t as visible as it once was,
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due to the rise in online solicitation that has taken the sex trade off the streets. He said this relatively new form makes it more difficult for police to monitor the sex trade in the community. “Unfortunately, in these cases, we end up responding more to calls after the fact, so you’ll hear about a bad date or you’ll hear about someone being ripped off.” Last year, an Abbotsford man was
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charged with eight counts after two women selling massage services on craigslist reported that he had sexually assaulted them in his apartment, in separate incidents. One set of charges proceeded through the court system, and Paul Williams Holmes received a 19-month prison sentence in January of this year for unlawful confinement and uttering threats.
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