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Alberta RCMP are labelling a project aimed at reducing property crime across the province an early success since more than half of the homes that got an in-person visit haven’t been targeted since.
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Project Lock Up was launched in February 2019 to address property crime throughout Alberta. Working with Crime Stoppers, Alberta Sheriffs and different citizens groups, police have been reducing break-and-enters at homes that have been targeted multiple times.
Project Lock Up reducing property crime, Alberta RCMP sayBack to video
“We did 37 site visits. Out of those 37 site visits, 24 of those properties haven’t been hit again,” said Supt. Peter Tewfik.
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Jennifer Kee, a community engagement and outreach specialist with RCMP, has been travelling across Alberta with Project Lock Up to meet with communities and families about how to protect their property. She said making minor changes, such as putting signs outside, can help properties be targeted less often.
“It’s no longer just a focus on the premises, it’s also on the neighbourhood and all the officers in every detachment are aware of their neighbourhoods and homes that I’m going to do site visits,” said Kee.
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At a media event Thursday, Kee showcased a new marker Alberta RCMP are using that leaves a transparent mark with an identifying number on a person’s property. She said it not only helps identify stolen property but also allows police to reunite it with its rightful owner.
RCMP data shows three out of the four major property crimes had a drop in reports over the past year. Between December 2018 and December 2019, theft of motor vehicles was down five per cent, general theft was down four per cent and possession of stolen goods was down six per cent while break-and-enters were up by two per cent.
While early signs are positive, Tewfik stressed Project Lock Up isn’t an all-encompassing solution to rural property crime. Both Tewfik and Kee said the public needs to continue to report when they are victims of crimes even if it may seem like a small loss.
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“We know that with property crime in particular, two-thirds of people don’t report. But we need to lower those barriers and get people reporting,” said Tewfik. “The police reported information is the data we use to try and identify those areas we have to focus on for proactive patrols.”
Tewfik said RCMP are planning to expand Project Lock Up in upcoming years to reach more people and areas of the province and also expand on the crimes the project aims to tackle.
The project is modelled off of two similar initiatives in the U.K. that have curbed burglary in Huddersfield and London.
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