WV POLICE CHIEF BLAMES ADDICTS FOR CRIME SPIKE

THEFTS of motor vehicles in West Van jumped 69 per cent this September from
last year and the theft of property from motor vehicles was up 42 per cent,
according to crime statistics presented to the West Vancouver Police
Department board last week.

Chief Constable Grant Churchill told the board the whopping increases are
largely due to the activities of "methamphetamine addicts from the
Vancouver's West End who come over to our shores strictly to steal."

The top West Vancouver cop told the board on Thursday "there about 120
known methamphetamine addicts who have to steal on a daily basis to support
their habit. It's like work for them and they've been coming over to West
Vancouver in increasing numbers since last spring."

There were 54 thefts of motor vehicles in West Vancouver by the end of
September 2001 and this year to date there have been 91.

From January to the end of September last year there were 254 reported
thefts from motor vehicles compared to 361 this year.

"Most have occurred on both sides of Taylor Way," said Churchill. "We've
made several arrests and there have been some repeat offenders."

Churchill said the West End thieves steal the merchandise from parked cars
and then steal cars only to abandon them in the 900-block of Denman Street
in Vancouver.

This year to date there have been 31 break and enters at West Vancouver
businesses compared to 16 during the same period last year.

Break and enters at residences are up 13 per cent at 161 to date, compared
with 143 for the same period last year.

Meanwhile impaired driving incidents in West Vancouver are up by 45 per
cent, with 297 incidents thus far this year compared to 205 during the same
period last year.