Due to a recent spike in property crime, local police are encouraging homeowners to take extra precautions.
According to Prince George RCMP, a particular concern is the recent outbreak of break-ins to homes and sheds in the core of the city.
"From July 17-30, the area bounded by Ospika Boulevard in the west, the Nechako River to the north, the Fraser River to the east and Highway 97 to the south experienced 19 break and enters. This area includes the Crescents, the VLA and Spruceland. In some of these cases, suspects are simply walking into unlocked homes," said Cpl. Craig Douglass from the Prince George RCMP.
"This spike in property crime has occurred despite specific and targeted enforcement of the most prolific offenders in our community. Almost everyday, the detachment is making significant arrests of persons committing property crimes.
"In some cases these are people known to local police and in some cases they are offenders from other communities that we are unaware of. Our members are routinely checking those persons with curfew conditions and checking suspicious persons that we come across in our patrols.
"We will continue to work with key community partners and continue to look for new ways to prevent crime in the Prince George area," Douglass said.
Break and enters are up 20 per cent in Prince George from Jan. 1 to Aug. 4, compared to the same period last year.
According to the RCMP, business break and enters are up 30 per cent, (161 to 209) residential break and enters are up seven per cent, (180 to 192) and break and enters to sheds and other non-residential and non-business properties is up 32 per cent (64 to 85). Douglass says that although seven per cent is not a large increase in residential break and enters specifically, it is an increase on an already high number from 2016.
RCMP are encouraging property owners to take the following steps to deter thieves:
Record serial numbers or engrave your driver's licence number on valuables.
Take pictures of property and store the files on a disk.
Report suspicious activity at all hours of the day.
Get to know your neighbours and keep an eye on their property.
Use security systems, cameras and other deterrents.
Keep your doors locked even if you are in the back yard.
Lock your sheds and outbuildings and secure property that you store inside.
Close and lock your windows each time you leave your home, even in hot weather.
Register your bicycles on the "529 Garage" on-line program.
Lock your vehicle doors and use an anti-theft device.
When possible, do not leave valuables in your vehicle. If you must, leave them out of sight.
Never leave your wallet, purse, identification or keys in a vehicle.
"If everyone took these steps, we are confident that these property crimes would decline and our officers could spend more time targeting those persons that cause Prince George residents the most harm," Douglass said.
The Prince George RCMP continue to look for information to help identify and locate persons involved in property crime.
If you have any information, please contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, online at
www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES (274637)using keyword 'pgtips".
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