Crime statistics in Vernon for the months of July, August and September show a rise in property crime, a smaller rise in violent crime and a slight dip in the number of calls fielded by police.
The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP will present its 2024 third-quarter policing report to Vernon council Tuesday, Nov. 12.
According to the report, Vernon saw 981 instances of property crime in the third quarter, an 11.09 per cent increase compared to the same quarter last year. Types of property crime recorded include break-and-enter, theft, mischief, arson, fraud and possession of stolen property.
It's a reversal of a trend seen between third quarters in 2022 and 2023, when property crime dropped about 12 per cent.
Meanwhile, violent crime offences increased this past quarter in Vernon by 2.64 per cent. This crime category includes assaults, homicides, sexual assaults, uttering threats and criminal harassment. There were a total of 310 violent incidents in the quarter. Three of the more serious violent incidents 鈥� two homicides and a suspicious death 鈥� are still being investigated by the Vernon Serious Crime Unit, according to the report.
Criminal Code offences in Vernon were up 5.31 per cent in the quarter for a total of 1,725.
One positive in the report is a modest 2.43 per cent decrease in total calls for service in Vernon to police in the quarter. This statistical category has been trending down in third quarters since 2022.
This past quarter, rural Vernon saw lower crime rates across the board, with an 11.02 per cent decrease in calls for service, a 24.77 per cent decline in Criminal Code offences, a 31.03 per cent drop in violent crime and a 22 per cent decrease in property crime.
Elsewhere in the North Okanagan, Coldstream had a 33 per cent increase in Criminal Code offences and Falkland saw a 32.35 per cent increase. These types of offences were down significantly in Spallumcheen (-20.63 per cent) and Westside (-23.95) but increased by 32 per cent in Lumby.
Violent offences dropped in Falkland from 10 instances in the third quarter last year to six this past quarter (-40 per cent) and rose from 21 to 30 instances (42.85 per cent) in Westside.
Dramatic property crime rises were seen in Coldstream (59.45 per cent), Falkland (58.82 per cent) and Lumby (34.48 per cent).
Fourteen prolific offenders were identified in the North Okanagan in the quarter. Nine of them are currently in custody, according to the report.
The Integrated Crisis Response Team, comprised of a police officer partnered with an Interior Health nurse, responded to 230 calls for service in the quarter and assisted officers with follow-up on an additional 31 investigations.
