By Tom Mark

Criminal Code Offences & Property Crimes Up

May 2, 2018 | 3:30 PM

The North Okanagan has seen a spike in criminal code offences this year.

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP Acting Officer In Charge, Inspector Gord Stewart, is delivering his first quarter report to local communities.

It says Criminal Code offences increased by 10.02 percent the first three months of the year compared with the same period in 2017.

Property crime was up 6.06 per cent.

Inspector Stewart says overall, calls for service increased by 2.66% in the first quarter of 2018 in comparison to the same time period in 2017.

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Road check-stops increased 5.56% while alcohol related traffic enforcement decreased by 14.71%

Traffic complaints came in at number one on a chart of the top 20 calls during 2017.

The second most reported incident was abandoned 911 calls which require police to confirm the safety of the caller.

More often than not, the call to 911 was made in error, such as a “pocket dial” from a cell phone.

The city of Vernon saw 17 robberies compared with 8 in the first three months of last year.

But robbery calls in the North Okanagan region didn’t make the top 20 in calls for service.

Theft from vehicle and drug offences were also up, but assaults were down.

During the quarter, Task Force members conducted a number of drug trafficking investigations which led to the arrest of four different persons believed to be part of a drug trafficking group.

The individuals are charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl and the matter is before the courts.

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP also report 55 drivers taken off the road by charge or suspension after they were caught at 9 road checks in Vernon and Coldstream over the first three months of the year.

The quarterly report also shows 11 motorists were charged with distracted driving.

North Okanagan rural officers conducted 10 road checks in which 18 impaired drivers were caught.

Seven others were charged with distracted driving.

CLICK HERE to read the full report.

by Tom Mark