A damaged door at Red Collar Brewing in downtown Kamloops, one in a series of businesses damaged during a recent spree. (Photo via Red Collar Brewing)
Kamloops RCMP say they’re “enhancing” their approach to business break and enters following a recent crime spree across the city.
Mounties say they are investigating about 25 reports of business break and enters between Feb. 12 and 25, many of which involve smash and grabs.
They say 12 of those businesses are located downtown, as first noted by Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association Executive Director, Howie Reimer, who told Radio NL on Friday that he was concerned about the recent spree.
“The sudden uptick of break and enter reports is cause for concern and something we are taking extremely seriously,” Kamloops RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley said, in a statement Monday.
“In response we have and continue to implement multi-faceted strategies, which include adding targeted proactive patrols, assigning teams of investigators to various areas based on data gathered and analyzed by our Criminal Intelligence and Crime Reduction units, and actively investigating known property crime offenders.”
Recent data from the RCMP showed that while there was a decrease in a number of types of property crimes like break-ins to houses and theft of vehicles in Kamloops, there was an eight per cent increase in break and enters at businesses.
Mounties say they’re not sure if some of the recent break-ins are related, but they note they’re working to gather and circulate pictures that help identify “suspicious people”– particularly in the downtown core.” They also say they are following up with suspects.
“As we continue to work on identifying and arresting those responsible for this recent rash of break and enter reports, we continue to encourage the public to contact police if they have information or video that could be related,” Pelley added.
“We also invite businesses to connect with our Crime Prevention Unit should they wish to discuss any additional tactics to help reduce their risk, including a safety analysis based on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).”
Police are asking people with information that may help further the investigations to reach out to the Kamloops RCMP Detachment at 250-828-3000.
