There has been a 160-per-cent increase in thefts over $5,000 this year compared to 2022, which the police chief says is due to stolen items being worth more than in previous years.
There were 13 thefts of items over $5,000 from January to April of this year, compared to five incidents during the same period last year and six incidents in 2021, recent crime statistics show.
Meanwhile, there has been a year-over-year increase of 160 per cent in thefts under $5,000, with 268 incidents year-to-date (YTD) compared to 219 incidents YTD last year and 171 episodes during the same time in 2021.
The Moose Jaw Police Service presented the data during the recent Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting, while Chief Rick Bourassa explained what was contributing to the increases during a media scrum afterward.
“Part of it is inflation. That might sound facetious, but that is part of it, is the value of some items has increased,” he said. “… there are a lot of items that are worth $5,000 that are fairly easy to remove, whereas a few years ago, it wasn’t that easy.”
Bourassa has been a police officer for several decades and recalls when he first started, thefts were categorized as either over or under $200. That number then rose to $500, $1,000 and then $5,000 several years ago.
“So when I say inflation, that is responsible for some of (the thefts). But some items that would not have been valued at that ($5,000 number) are now valued at that — or higher,” he added.
The next Board of Police Commissioners meeting is Thursday, June 8, at 7 p.m. in the Moose Jaw Public Library’s south meeting room. The public is welcome to attend.
