By Liam Verster

Crime Stats

Preliminary data from Grande Prairie RCMP shows crime rates dipped in May

Jun 7, 2021 | 11:56 AM

A year-over-year comparison of crimes in the City of Grande Prairie and the surrounding rural areas shows crime was down slightly this May.

The data from the Grande Prairie RCMP shows there were 12 theft of motor vehicles in the City and 10 in rural areas in May 2021, down from the 22 and 14 recorded in the same month last year.

Theft from motor vehicles were also down from 61 to 36 in the City and from five to one in rural settings, while possession of stolen property incidents decreased from 23 to 17 in the City, but remained flat at seven in rural areas.

Those crimes were slightly offset by break and enters in May of 2021. There were 34 break in’s reported in the City compared to 33 in May, 2021, and 14 in rural settings compared to seven during the same month last year.

The RCMP advises the public, especially commercial property owners, to take preventative steps to reduce the possibility of these crimes occurring. Those measures include:

• Having up-to-date surveillance systems, accompanied by signage advising that the business/worksite is monitored and an active alarm is in place
• Locking and securing all doors and windows on all structures
• Keeping entrances and exits well lit
• Removing items from the area that could be used as break-in tools or weapons

Meantime, the RCMP also notes a slight uptick in police events in rural settings while such instances decreased in the City.

In May of 2021, there were 2,157 police events in the City and 519 in rural areas. Those figures contrast with the 2,183 recorded in the City and 483 in rural settings in May of 2020. Those police events represent all police calls for service, officer generated files and traffic infractions.

All the data provided by the RCMP is considered raw, and may be changed upon further review before being included in the detachment’s official crime statistics.