Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

Kamloops Crime

West Victoria crime complaints catch the attention of Kamloops council

May 6, 2020 | 1:26 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Tk’emlups reserve is not the only neighbourhood concerned about an increase in criminal activity.

At this week’s regular meeting, Kamloops council discussed concerns expressed by business owners along Victoria Street West.

Mayor Ken Christian says RCMP and bylaw officers are doing what they can, and business owners themselves have a part to play.

“We have a full watch. We are out there with the police doing everything that we possibly can but we can’t be everywhere,” Christian said. “Business owners need to be cognizant of security systems, surveillance systems, and in particular, those businesses that are partially closed or boarded up [should not] leave items in there that are the subject of crime.”

But Councillor Bill Sarai notes some business owners have increased their security systems – to little effect.

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“There’s one business (owner)… basically his whole family has said he hasn’t slept in probably two months because [his smartphone security app] goes off five times every night and he’s terrified of what’s next in his business,” said Sarai. “There are other businesses there that just have security cameras that just record events and they come to work every day terrified of what they’re going to find.”

Community and Protective Services Director Byron McCorkell says some of the perpetrators have seen their normal income hit hard by pandemic-related restrictions.

“If you were a person living on the street and part of your revenue source was panhandling, there’s nobody to panhandle from. So they are then trying to find new ways to secure resources.”

Last Friday, Christian told media there were 73 break-and-enter calls to businesses within a six-week period compared to 33 in the same time period in 2019.