Crime in Swift Current has been fairly consistent with last year's numbers, and that's a good thing according to a recent report to city council by Staff Sergeant Evan Gordon of the City RCMP

While you might think that similar numbers mean that crime hasn't changed, that's not quite true. Some statistics have gone down since this time last year, like provincial traffic offences. Those have gone from 472 cases during June 2021, to 391 cases during June 2022. The same can be said for impaired driving offences, where 11 were recorded last year, and only eight cases were reported this year.

"We've discussed ad nauseam the amount of traffic enforcement in the area," said Gordon. "So I think it's only reasonable to see a little bit of a drop this year."

And while the increased presence of officers on Swift Current's roadways has helped in deterring many would-be offenders, it also helps narrow the gaps in their coverage, making it much harder for dangerous drivers and other parties to slip by.

But not everything has decreased in the report, as thefts under $5,000 have seen a noticeable rise in occurrence. In June of last year, were only 10 reported cases, while this last June saw 24 calls placed for items stolen valued at less than five grand. Along with those thefts, a popular form of break-in is 'car-shopping', wherein a criminal enters a vehicle, most often an unlocked one, and steals valuables such as jewelry, cash, tools, and other snatch and grab items. While cars are the most popular target, unlocked buildings and sheds are also at risk.

"I'd just like to take the opportunity here now to remind members of the public to ensure that their vehicles are locked overnight and that any valuables are removed from them," reminded Gordon.

Gordon talked about how for people in small towns, it's a given to leave the keys in the car or truck in case someone needs to borrow or move the vehicle. But as a city grows, it's important to remember that the criminal aspect grows too. With Swift Current approaching 17,000 residents, it would be best if people need to start locking the doors of their vehicles at night and take care to remember that not everyone is respectful of private belongings or property. These kinds of thefts are easily preventable, as most criminals prefer not to break a window or trigger an alarm.