During April through June 2020, as the public became accustomed to changes under COVID-19, key crime and public safety indicators remained below normal in Delta.
According to statistics released by Delta police, person’ offences were down 22 per cent from the same time last year, with 187 recorded, compared to 241 last year. This continues the trend which began in the first quarter of 2020.
Break and enters to residences were down 36 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2019, with police recording just 30 offences.
“These are typically crimes of opportunity, and with greater numbers of people at home due to the pandemic, there’s less opportunity,” said DPD spokesperson Cris Leykauf.
Break and enters to commercial properties on the other hand jumped from 30 at this time last year, to 39 this year. Year-to-date these numbers are slightly below normal.
One of the biggest drops overall in DPD statistics, was in the number of collisions reported to police – only 157 during the second quarter compared to 260 this time last year - a 40 per cent drop. The number of violation tickets dropped as well in the second quarter to 996, compared to 2,755 last year at this time.
“As the reality of life under the pandemic set in during April, our officers’ prioritized education over handing out violation tickets,” added Leykauf. “We recognized that many drivers may have found themselves suddenly out of work, or facing significant new stresses, and officers did not want to add to the burdens being experienced by the public. It wasn’t something we wanted to advertise though, for obvious reasons. However now that the roads are getting busier, we’re ramping up enforcement efforts to keep drivers and pedestrians safe.”
Thefts from auto remains nearly unchanged, down one per cent from the same time last year, with 176 incidents reported to police.
“This is one of the most common crime types we see in Delta, and again is considered a crime of opportunity,” said Leykauf. “Thieves will walk along in the middle of the night, trying door handles of vehicles parked on the street or in driveways. If the door is unlocked they will literally steal anything – spare change, charging cords… Our advice – leave your vehicle empty if you choose to leave it unlocked.”
