From The City of Red Deer

First quarter crime stats show increases

Red Deer Municipal Detachment
Crime Statistics (Actual)
January to March: 2014 ‐ 2019
All categories contain “Attempted” and/or “Completed” April 03, 2019

CATEGORY		2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Homicides & Offences Related to Death		0	2	3	3	2	5
Robbery		25	39	49	26	20	27
Sexual Assaults		30	22	29	22	45	54
Other Sexual Offences		20	11	14	20	18	11
Assault		420	430	365	363	311	355
Kidnapping/Hostage/Abduction		6	10	11	7	9	11
Extortion		5	3	2	3	3	6
Criminal Harassment		85	63	116	89	79	72
Uttering Threats		171	155	163	139	138	126
TOTAL PERSONS		762	735	752	672	625	667
Break & Enter		2014 192	2015 235	2016 330	2017 359	2018 239	2019 333
Theft of Motor Vehicle		187	276	397	389	177	377
Theft Over $5,000		23	33	33	24	27	37
Theft Under $5,000		940	1,092	1,462	1,517	797	1,034
Possn Stn Goods		148	200	260	338	115	159
Fraud		300	255	286	355	253	324
Arson		3	8	4	7	5	2
Mischief To Property		812	855	1,006	1,149	521	743
TOTAL PROPERTY		2,605	2,954	3,778	4,138	2,134	3,009
Offensive Weapons		2014 52	2015 69	2016 113	2017 90	2018 66	2019 100
Disturbing the peace		526	595	633	606	399	508
Fail to Comply & Breaches		412	432	393	395	306	255
OTHER CRIMINAL CODE		127	132	117	151	145	145
TOTAL OTHER CRIMINAL CODE		1,117	1,228	1,256	1,242	916	1,008
TOTAL CRIMINAL CODE		4,484	4,917	5,786	6,052	3,675	4,684

According to statistics, crime in the first quarter of 2019 has increased compared to the same time period last year, but remains lower than in previous years.

“Throughout 2018 and the tail end of 2017, we consistently saw decreases across key areas, including break and enter and theft of motor vehicles; however, the numbers for this first quarter of this year are showing increases, said Superintendent Grobmeier, Officer in Chargeof the Red Deer RCMP. “It’s not necessarily unusual to see increases after such a prolongedperiod of significant decreases, but we know we need to act to ensure this increase doesn’t become a trend.”

When comparing the first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of 2018, total Criminal Code files increased by 27 per cent; however, this it is still 22 per cent lower than the same time period in 2017. Select first quarter results include:

 Total persons crimes increased slightly, by seven per cent; however this has remained relatively steady over a three year period.

o We had 27 robberies, compared to 20 in 2018.o Sexual assaults increase by 20 percent.

 Total property crime increased by 41 per cent; however it is 27 per cent lower than the same time period on 2017.

o Theft under $5,000 increased by 30 per cent; however it is still 31 per cent lower than the same time period in 2017.

o Break and enters increased by 39 per cent.
o We had 377 stolen vehicles, compared to 177 in the same time period in 2018.

“We recognize that an increase in crime rates is not what the community wants to see, and it isn’t what we want to see either,” said Superintendent Grobmeier. “There are several factorsthat we believe contributed to some of the increases, including extreme weather this winter, which unfortunately translated into many vehicles being stolen while they were running andunlocked.”

One of the ways police are working to reduce crime is through Pinpoint, a made in Red Deer program that targets repeat offenders and crime hotspots. Between January 7, 2019 and April 8, 2019, Red Deer RCMP conducted 521 checks on targeted people and addresses identified through Pinpoint, including nine identified people on parole and/or probation and 42 more career criminals with an active history of property crime. Police also conducted another 1,368 checks in crime hot spots. During the first quarter of 2019, 140 charges have been laid specific to targets identified through Pinpoint, and 108 warrants have been executed.