Supt. Syd Lecky (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

CRIME INCREASE

Property crime driving a busier first half of 2022 for Kamloops Mounties

Jul 14, 2022 | 4:10 PM

KAMLOOPS — As the population of Kamloops increases, so, too, has the file count for the RCMP. Since the beginning of this year the detachment has seen an 8-to-10 per cent increase in the number of files. While property crime has increased, personal offences, such as assaults or homicides, have not.

“Generally speaking, property crime has been increasing. As our file count is increasing, it’s really driven by the property crime. We continue to battle that on all fronts, and working with our partners to try and find solutions to some of these challenges,” said RCMP Superintendent Syd Lecky.

The city of Kamloops, like all jurisdictions, is facing the challenges presented by prolific offenders. On Thursday (July 14), Superintendent Lecky joined his Southeast District counterparts to brief the provincial investigation into repeat offenders of the issues faced locally.

“That are a lot of that have implications for our future plans. When you consider possession of narcotics and where that stands today. When you consider bail reforms and bail challenges that we have. Case law that has shaped the policies that we know have to all work with, whether it be the police, the crown, and all the members of the judicial system. We are looking forward to seeing the results of that review.”

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Kamloops council has recently been presented with a grant application for gang funding. While the funding is not for police resources, it will still help tackle organized crime.

“It has always been around, it continues to percolate below the surface and our job is to try and keep on top of it. You will never be able to eliminate, because as soon as you address one there is some else who fills that void. Organized crime is still here. We will also keep that to some degree a priority here to ensure that we can keep the crime that is associated with under control to the best we can.”

The most high profile case of 2022, thus far, is the Mohd Abdullah murder investigation. To date one charge has been laid in connection to the case as lawyer Butch Bagabuyo faces one count of interfering with a dead body.

“That investigation continues. Not a lot that I can update but to say it’s an ongoing investigation that we are making good process with. Very complex because of the fact it involves a lawyer who is a practicing lawyer in our community.”

Lecky also spoke to the Shannon White case, noting that not being able to provide closure to families weighs on him and his detachment.

“It’s really tough. It’s tough on the investigators, it’s tough on me as leader in the community and in charge of the police to not be able to give the families the outcomes they are hoping to hear. It weighs on us over time.”

Despite ongoing searches for white, nothing substantial has turned up and the investigation remains open.

Part two of our interview with Supt. Lecky will highlight the opioid crisis, a safe drug supply and the decriminalization of controlled substances. Watch for that on Friday (July 15).