SPIKE IN PROPERTY CRIME DRUG RELATED

Incidents are linked

Fort Saskatchewan Record -- A rash of thefts from motor vehicles that caused
the property crime rate to increase is linked to drugs, says the acting RCMP
detachment commander.

Property crimes increased after thefts from motor vehicles more than tripled
last month, says Sgt. Sam Hewson.

"This is drug related. There's a drug connection."

Police statistics, gathered last month, show property crimes went up four
per cent from the 2003 September total, but the majority of that increase
comes from a 76 per cent spike in theft under $5,000 incidents from motor
vehicles. September saw 41 vehicle break-ins compared to 10 in 2003 for that
month.

Hewson says more than 30 of the incidents are linked.

Police have a suspect in custody connected to the recent bout of thefts.

The details about the suspect cannot be released at this time because it is
an ongoing investigation, says Hewson.

He says the vehicle thefts occurred over a three-week time span, then
stopped.

"We still get them, but the ones that have been very active for the time,
have been caught. Most of them are related."

Car stereos, and identity theft, which includes driver's licenses, credit
cards, are targeted in the incidents, notes Hewson. "When you get a huge
jump, like (last month), generally it's a person or a group that's doing
that."

Hewson says it is not rare to see such a large increase, when dealing with
numbers that are small in comparison to other communities.

The statistics are constantly changing, which means they are not an exact
representation of all crimes, but are an indication of trends, says Hewson.

"Quite often people who commit property crimes will do them in a run. You'll
see a bunch of [break and enters], and then we find who did it and that's
why it stops."

Hewson notes suspects go on a binge and steal from vehicles to look for
cash, or items they can sell for cash, to support their drug habits. "At the
same time they steal identification. If you have your wallet in the car,
they'll take that, and use the wallet to say, get a cellphone account,
obtain a credit card, purchase items, and use your identification as ID for
themselves."

Local insurance broker Tony Farnese says he has not seen an increase in
claims for broken into and damaged vehicles.

"A lot of people don't report this stuff because it's minor. I have not seen
a spike in the claims I've been hearing--I haven't noticed anything like
that."

"But I don't think that's the real issue here," says Farnese. "There is a
drug problem out there, and I think, in most cases it's one angry young
person who goes out and commits these crimes to support his or her habit,
and that's the real tragedy."

Hewson says residents can take precautions to help deter the crimes from
happening to them.

"Lock your vehicle up," he says. "Don't leave valuables in the vehicle."

Stereos were the targets in the recent incidents he says. "So, removable
face plates--take them out."

Hewson notes residents can protect themselves through a strong sense of
community.

"Know your neighbour. Watch out for each other."