COCAINE FUELS RISE IN CRIME

Year-end statistics show an increasing number of muggings and other street
crimes are being driven by crack cocaine and heroin addicts. Police say
most street crimes -- which include purse snatchings -- and bank and
variety store robberies are committed by drug addicts desperate to pay off
their expensive habits.

Over the past several months, two police strategy meetings have been held
because past efforts to deal with drug crimes were too narrow in focus and
created only short-term results. Instead of each police division dealing
with its own increasing numbers of muggings or variety store robberies, the
goal is to focus on their root causes.

"We have to balance our resources," said Police Chief Ken Robertson.
"Ninety per cent of all (street) crimes committed are as a result of drug
users feeding their habits."

Year-end crime statistics show that in 2001, the number of property crimes
increased by 8.41 per cent over the year 2000, roughly 3 per cent lower
than the five-year average. Robberies decreased slightly from last year to
2000, but are up 10.4 per cent when compared to the five-year average.

The Break, Enter, Auto theft and Robbery (BEAR) squad has concluded,
through interviews with offenders, that all the retail stickups and
robberies at banks and credit unions that they've cleared are committed by
addicts. "There's been all kinds of individual initiatives within
divisions," said central division Superintendent Mike Shea. "We'll attack a
crack house and shut it down, there's another one taking its place within
days."

The last strategy meeting in February brought together Deputy Chief Brian
Mullan, superintendents, criminal investigation detective sergeants and the
heads of the BEAR and vice and drugs units. The goal is to focus resources
on targeting known drug offenders and crack houses, with more collaboration
between special police units and the three city divisions.

The trick will be making crack- and heroin-related street crimes the
priority and diverting resources from other areas, such as for drug
officers who spend a good deal of time busting home marijuana-growing
operations.

The Hamilton police 2001 year-end crime statistics report, presented to the
police services board yesterday, shows there were 6,099 reported incidents
of violent crime last year compared to 6,073 in 2000. It also notes violent
crime has decreased 2.2 per cent when you compare last year's number of
incidents to the five-year average of 6,236.

Property crime of all types increased to 22,221 reported incidents last
year from 20,497 the year before.

Although there were fewer robberies -- 529 compared to 540 in 2000, street
robberies such as muggings and purse snatchings increased.

Rising numbers of assaults drove an increase in violent crime last year.

The jump in the number of assaults from 5,001 in 2000 to 5,081 last year
overshadowed year-over-year decreases in robbery, sexual assault, attempted
murder and abduction.

Homicide, with 10 last year and nine in 2000, and attempted murder were the
only other violent crime categories to show any increase.

Police say the increased number of assaults was due to more incidents
involving victims over 17.

There were fewer sexual assaults, 459 compared to 540 in 2001.

The annual report notes the 6.5 per cent decrease in sexual assault was due
to fewer sexual assault level-two incidents involving victims under 16 and
fewer reports of invitation to sexual touching and sexual exploitation of
children.

There were 15 per cent more home entries last year, with 3,086 compared to
2,675 in 2000. Still, the report notes a 5 per cent decrease in those
crimes last year compared to the five-year average of 3,232. The police
clearance rate for those crimes has increased slightly to 30.03 per cent.

Other types of break-ins, such as in stores, warehouses and factories, also
increased, with 2,253 last year and 2,128 in 2000. Like home entries, these
are down 6 per cent against the five-year average of 2,121.

Car theft took a 17.6 per cent jump between 2000 and 2001, going from 4,344
to 5,108. The number of thefts also rose 2 per cent over the five-year
average of 4,986 as well.

Police Chief Ken Robertson said 80 per cent of the vehicles stolen are
taken by teenagers looking for a joyride.

The police service's goal is to decrease the number of auto thefts by 25
per cent, especially by targeting shopping mall parking lots where the
majority of vehicles are stolen. Robertson said people should also invest
in anti-theft devices such as alarms or steering wheel locking devices to
deter thieves.

There was an increase in crimes involving theft of property worth more than
$5,000, going from 177 incidents in 2000 to 207 last year.

But the 2001 figure is down 19 per cent compared to the past five-year
average of 249.

The same thing happened with theft under $5,000. While the number of
incidents jumped from 10,144 in 2000 to 10,540 last year, those crimes were
still 6 per cent below the five-year average of 11,265.

There was little change in the number of frauds reported in 2000 compared
to last year -- 1,029 in 2000 and 1,027 in 2001-- despite a rash of more
than 200 incidents involving counterfeit money which hit the city last year.

The 2001 tally was 8 per cent less than the five-year average of 1,112. The
report says there were slightly fewer reports of bank and credit card fraud
last year and a decrease in cheque frauds. Police believe this could be
because retailers and other businesses prefer bank cards to cheques.