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Delving into Rossland crime

It’s been another quiet year in Rossland, according to RCMP crime statistics released for the first half of 2013.
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It’s been another quiet year in Rossland, according to RCMP crime statistics released for the first half of 2013.

Theft, mischief and possession of stolen property have increased in 2013—up from 13 to 16 offences—but drug offences have dropped to four from five.

Attempted break and enter, theft of motor vehicles and sex assaults fell to zero—down from one, two and two respectively—while assaults stayed the same at three offences.

Break and enter offences rose from three to four. There were no murder or robbery offences recorded in either year.

There were seven total reported vehicular property damages from accidents in the first half of 2013, the same amount as in 2012.

RCMP staff sergeant Rob Hawton of the Trail and District detachment—which also serves Rossland—said earlier this year that, anecdotally, Rossland was “pretty nice.”

“I’ve been around the province, I’ve been doing this for over 30 years, and with numbers like these you are looking at a pretty good area,” he said.

There is no RCMP station in the city anymore. Police do patrol the community, and answer calls for service.

Hawton felt the police presence in the city has increased in the last year after the institution of 24/7 policing. He said police are able to come up to the city at night and patrol.

Through the Trail Crime Reduction Unit, police have identified some repeat perpetrators and, subsequently, have taken a more “proactive” approach, he said.

“Very few people commit a vast majority of the crimes,” Hawton said. “So we are trying to target them right off the bat beforehand.”