Pemberton RCMP officials say though there have been spikes in some types of offenses, summer crime rates show an overall decline in local crime.
Inspector Norm McPhail and Corporal Paul Vadik, along with Staff Sergeant Marshall Seniuk, attended the Village of Pemberton’s council meeting Tuesday morning to present summer crime statistics.
The statistics presented at the meeting were from May 1 to Sept. 30, and were compared with stats from a similar time period last year.
Theft seemed to be decreasing, with fewer reports of theft from motor vehicles, and fewer thefts both under and over $5,000.
Cpl. Vadik said they had also made more drug seizures this summer, and found fewer outdoor grow operations through aerial searches, which could indicate a decline in local drug trade.
He also attributed a dip in break and enters — down from 14 to 2 — to the absence of two known heroin addicts.
Cpl. Vadik said, overall, crime is down in Pemberton, but acknowledged the recent rash of serious accidents on Highway 99 “is of concern.”
There were a total of nine accidents this year with 12 fatalities. Seven of the accidents were related to alcohol or speed.
The statistics also reflect a significant increase in impaired driving, with seven charges laid compared to just two last summer.
