Olds RCMP’s latest stats show property crime is in fact on the decrease compared to last year and actually hit a five-year low.
The detachment recorded the highest number of property crimes in five years during the second quarter of 2017 from April to June, Staff Sgt. Jim MacDonald noted in his update to council recently.
Overall reported property crime in Olds dropped 39 per cent in the same quarter this year compared to 2017, he said, adding the rate was the lowest in five years.
“Although these statistics only tell the story of a three-month period, the decrease in crime is promising and I am cautiously optimistic about this trend,” said MacDonald.
The number of break and enters (10) and minor thefts (35) between April and June of this year are nearly half of what they were during the same period last year, he reported.
Thirteen vehicles were stolen from Olds between April and June this year -- down slightly from the 19 reported in the second quarter of 2017.
He said reported mischief, including property damage and interference with property, was also slightly down during this period compared to 2017, also seeing a five-year low.
Many factors can influence crime levels in a community, he said.
“But I attribute these positive results to the hard work of the detachment members and staff, active community involvement in groups such as Citizens on Patrol and Rural Crime Watch, as well as the Divisional Crime Reduction Strategies that were put in place last winter.”
The most common reported incidents to police between April and June this year were false alarms, followed by mischief.
There were 38 collisions on the streets of Olds during these three months -- an average of less than one collision every two and a half days, he said.
