COPS TACKLE DRUGS, THEFT

Gangs in Aldergrove are just one issue the RCMP wants to attack this
year.

uth gangs are a problem in Langley, and the RCMP is looking to
tackle them, the detachment's top officer told Township council.

"It's primarily localized in the Aldergrove area," said Supt. Janice
Armstrong.

The head of the detachment gave her quarterly public report to the
mayor and council last Monday, capping it with a brief sketch of gang
activity.

The gangs are involved in strong arm tactics and intimidation,
Armstrong said, but the public rarely complains about them unless
there is a major investigation underway.

Many people only come forward when there has been a serious
incident.

Armstrong also mentioned the killing of Kyle Marud as part of the
ongoing criminal issues in Aldergrove, but did not say if there was
any suspected gang link to the crime.

The area has had a number of problems recently, even aside from the
two unsolved murders in the past year.

"We've been spending considerable time out in the Aldergrove area,"
Armstrong said.

Property crime has been targeted with eight recent arrests, and
officers are talking to local businesses about how to harden their
premises against break-ins.

Armstrong also informed council of a number of criminal trends and
RCMP initiatives, both new and ongoing.

The Mounties will keep targeting drug dealing and use around schools,
and are planning to increase their foot and bike patrols. Walnut Grove
and Brookswood, in particular, will be seeing more officers on the
beat as the weather continues to get warmer, Armstrong said.

Some of the officers on foot patrols will be presenting a colourful
sight: they'll be wearing red serge dress uniforms and stetson hats.

The force will continue bar patrols and walkthroughs, and drunk
drivers are being pulled over and given roadside suspensions on a
regular basis.

Marijuana grow-ops continue to spring up like weeds in Langley, with
15 busted, 12 arrests made, and $2,600 in police costs charged to
homeowners so far this year, Armstrong said.

She also noted that a former crack house in Aldergrove has been shut
down and is about to face the wrecking ball.

When it comes to vehicle theft, Bobcats are proving popular with
criminals.

"We seem to have a bit of a trend," Armstrong said. There have been a
number of Bobcat thefts. With so many of the utility vehicles sitting
unattended on construction sites, they apparently make easy targets.

Another popular form of theft, that of copper wire, is still a
problem, Armstrong reported. Both businesses and the municipalities
have suffered from repeated wire thefts.

Project Wired, an upcoming initiative, will see officers working with
local recyclers and performing road checks around recycling yards in
an attempt to crack down on the problem.