Pubdate: Mon, 28 Nov 2016
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2016 The StarPhoenix
Contact:  http://thestarphoenix.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Charles Hamilton
Page: A1

HOME INVASIONS A RISING TREND

Police chief blames drug gangs for near doubling of cases

A dramatic spike in home invasions in Saskatoon is contributing to the
city's nation-leading crime rate, according to Saskatoon's Police
Chief Clive Weighill.

Home invasions where people are home when burglars break in have
nearly doubled since 2009. Police say there were 154 home invasion
cases in 2009. In 2014 that number spiked to 301 before dipping down
to 276 in 2015.

"Since 2009 it's almost doubled. I know that is a scary term when we
are talking about home invasions," Weighill said at a police board
meeting last Thursday.

Carolanne Inglis-McQuay, who is on the board of police commissioners,
was once a victim of what has now grown into a troubling trend.

Back in 2011, Inglis-McQuay said, her home was broken into while she
and her husband were sleeping. They awoke to the sound of their dog
barking loudly.

"I looked out the window and I saw someone running out our back gate,"
Inglis-McQuay said.

The thief, she said, stole only small items like her iPod. But she
said the bugler also had enough time to turn on the lights in much of
the house. She believes it could have been much worse if her dog
hadn't been alerted.

She said the home invasion was a wake-up call and now she never leaves
windows open or doors unlocked. She says, however, she is still
surprised by the number of people who do. "I just never imaged it
happened to me," she said.

The spike comes as police try to grapple with a crime spike for the
first time in more than a decade. While violent crimes continue to
trend downward, property crimes are on the rise.

Property crimes, for example, are up 10 per cent in so far 2016 over
the same period in 2015, Weighill said.

The root cause, according to Weighill, is drugs - specifically
meth.

"It's driving property crime, it's driving residential break and
enters," Weighill said.

Weighill said while there are cases where thieves break into people's
homes while they are sleeping to "ransack" and steal to get money to
feed their habits, much of the spike in home invasions can also be
attributed to gangs and drug dealers.

"A lot of these home invasions are drug groups breaking into each
other's homes and trying to rip off money," Weighill said.

Inglis-McQuay remembers how swift the police response was back in 2011
and she says police cracking down on would-be thieves is key.

Her home invasion happened before a rise in methamphetamine swept the
city and says it's unfortunate that a cheap and highly addictive drug
is causing so much harm.

Not only is it leaving people addicted, those addicts in turn search
for extra sources of cash to feed their habit.

"I don't think it's a short-term solution. It's a long-term solution
related to addictions, access to drugs," she said.

"I just never imaged it happened to me," she said.

The spike comes as police try to grapple with a crime spike for the
first time in more than a decade. While violent crimes continue to
trend downward, property crimes are on the rise.

Property crimes, for example, are up 10 per cent in so far 2016 over
the same period in 2015, Weighill said.

The root cause, according to Weighill, is drugs - specifically
meth.

"It's driving property crime, it's driving residential break and
enters," Weighill said.

Weighill said while there are cases where thieves break into people's
homes while they are sleeping to "ransack" and steal to get money to
feed their habits, much of the spike in home invasions can also be
attributed to gangs and drug dealers.

"A lot of these home invasions are drug groups breaking into each
other's homes and trying to rip off money," Weighill said.

Inglis-McQuay remembers how swift the police response was back in 2011
and she says police cracking down on would-be thieves is key.

Her home invasion happened before a rise in methamphetamine swept the
city and says it's unfortunate that a cheap and highly addictive drug
is causing so much harm.

Not only is it leaving people addicted, those addicts in turn search
for extra sources of cash to feed their habit.

"I don't think it's a short-term solution. It's a long-term solution
related to addictions, access to drugs," she said.
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