Thursday February 5 2015
The
Leader
▲ Leclaire selected first overall 22
▲ Musical tribute to Pete Seeger 19
BUSTED BY BLOCK WATCH
▼ POLICE ENLIST VOLUNTEER GROUPS TO HELP COMBAT SPIKE IN CAR THEFTS KEVIN DIAKIW
Local Block Watch groups are being given a list of stolen vehicles so they can report them when seen. It’s part of a new Surrey RCMP program, and so far, two cars have been recovered in Cloverdale during a three-week pilot project. Groups are being asked to simply observe and report the cars, and call 911 if the car is occupied, or the Surrey RCMP non-emergency line if it’s not. The Surrey RCMP has made an iPhone app available to Block Watch groups to serve the same purpose as the list. “We depend on the residents and businesses of Surrey to observe and report any suspicious activity in order to reduce crime and increase community safety,” said Surrey RCMP Community Services Officer Insp. Ghalib Bhayani.
▶ HOCKEY FOR THE HOMELESS Surrey firefighters and members of the Surrey RCMP battle for the ball during the annual Toque Tuesday hockey tournament at Civic Plaza on Feb. 3. The event is a fun way for various groups to raise money and clothing for the homeless in the city. Toque Tuesday is an initiative of Raising the Roof, a charity that works for long-term solutions to homelessness. For more information, visit raisingtheroof.org. EVAN SEAL
SURREY PROPERTY CRIME SOARS ▶ FRAUD, VEHICLE THEFT, STOLEN ITEMS AND BREAK-ANDENTER ROSE SHARPLY IN 2014, RCMP STATISTICS SHOW
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▶ “We depend on the residents and businesses of Surrey to observe and report any suspicious activity....”
KEVIN DIAKIW
Property crime jumped 24 per cent in Surrey last year as compared to 2013, according to year-end crime statistics released Friday by the Surrey RCMP. Theft of motor vehicles skyrocketed 54 per
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cent and fraud was up 58 per cent. Incidents of stolen property also shot up by 47 per cent. The number of times Surrey residences were broken into also increased by 24 per cent. And while homicides dropped in Surrey last year, 2014 was still the fourth-highest year for murders in the city’s history. There were 17 murders last year, down 32 per cent from 2013’s all-time record of 25 homicides in Surrey. The next highest years were in 2005, when Surrey logged 21 homicides, and 2009, when the city experienced 20 killings, according to B.C. Ministry of Justice figures. Last year was the next highest.
On a brighter note, prostitution was down in Surrey by 43 per cent last year and theft of merchandise over $5,000 decreased by 20 per cent. The statistics, available on the Surrey RCMP website at http://surrey.rcmp-grc.gc.ca, also break out figures by policing district. District 3, which includes Cloverdale and Port Kells, reported a 10-per-cent jump in violent crime, the second highest out of the city’s policing districts. (District 2, covering Guildford and Fleetwood had the highest jump in violent crime at 12 per cent).
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