A spate of smash and grab incidents over the past month at downtown Prince George businesses has prompted the local RCMP to remind business owners of protective services they provide.
The Prince George RCMP Community Policing section is able to provide Business Security Evaluations and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) assessments at no cost.
The proper design, effective use and maintenance of the built environment can lead to the reduction in the incidence and fear of crime. The key behind CPTED include the placement of physical features, land uses and activities to maximize visibility and using real and psychological barriers to guide pedestrians to and from spaces.
Business security evaluations offer advice on making the premise a hard target to deter thieves instead of something that offers minimal resistance and detection.
Since Feb. 8, Prince George RCMP have attended to 11 reports of mischief or break and enter, mainly in the downtown core of the city. At all locations, glass or windows were broken to gain entry, although not all business were robbed.
For those that were burgled, among the items stolen were 14 pajama tops and 10 pajama bottoms, three chain saws, five multi-coloured purses, five pairs of work boots and other items of clothing.
In one incidence, a suspect was observed leaving a business in 1900 block of 20th Avenue on a bike. A black 17'' HP laptop computer was stolen and a witness described a male suspect as Caucasion, approximately 35 years old with short dark hair, wearing a black hat, black coat with yellow logo and tight white or pale jeans. He stood five-foot-nine and weighed 175 pounds.
Anyone with information about these break and enters or the people responsible is asked to contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES using keyword "pgtips."
