The Burnaby RCMP has created a new task force to deal with a 100 per cent increase in break-ins in Burnaby.
"The protection of people's property is one of our highest priorities," said Chief Supt. Dave Critchley in a press release. "As such, Burnaby RCMP has no intention of allowing these crimes to continue unchallenged. In an effort to assist the members of the property crimes unit in dealing with this heavier-than-usual caseload, I am announcing the formation of a special task force, specifically mandated to address this issue."
Police have seen a significant rise in the number of break-ins, in both residential and commercial properties throughout the city.
Cpl. Dave Reid, media relations officer for the Burnaby RCMP, said the rise in break-ins was happening across the city and not in one particular neighbourhood.
"District one, which is the Hastings-Gilmore area, they've been hit pretty hard," he said. "But this has spread all over the city. Our concern is the stats are up everywhere." Reid said every few years, the numbers tend to go up, police respond in kind, and the numbers drop.
"But then every four or five years, it happens again," he said.
Reid said residential break-ins have increased by 100 per cent, or double the number of incidents this time last year. Police do have some suspects on their radar, and they've released photos of the task force's "most wanted."
According to Reid, police have not received any reports of violence during the break-ins.
