DRUG, VIOLENT CRIMES ON THE RISE IN 2006

The number of drug-related crimes recorded by Surrey RCMP between
January and October of this year rose by 16 per cent compared to the
same period in 2005, and violent crime by six per cent.

That's according to the most recent crime statistics available. In
the first three quarters of this year the city recorded 4,700 violent
crimes - including homicides, robberies, assaults, abductions and
attempted murders.

The number of drug-related crimes - cocaine and marijuana possession,
and growing pot - is 5,575.

The good news, however, is that statistics for property crimes in the
first three quarters of 2006 show an eight per cent reduction in
crimes like break-ins, fraud, auto theft and possession of stolen
property. The number of property related crimes recorded is 22,394.

Other Criminal Code offences, such as weapons and morality related
incidents, rose by four per cent to 21,564.

Broken down, District 2 (Guildford-Fleetwood) saw the greatest
increase in violent crimes (by 10 per cent), District 1 (Whalley-City
Centre) recorded the greatest decrease in property crime (by 11 per
cent), District 3 (Newton) saw a 23 per cent increase in
miscellaneous crime and District 2 (Guildford-Fleetwood) recorded a
whopping 73 per cent increase in drug-related crime.