Crime declined in St. Albert in 2024, according to RCMP statistics.
Staff Sgt. Dwayne Moore, interim commander of the St. Albert detachment, told the Policing Advisory Committee Dec. 11 that overall Criminal Code offences were down five per cent between January and November compared to 2023.
Crimes against the person were down seven per cent, property crime was down six per cent and other Criminal Code charges were down less than one per cent.
There were more dramatic changes in some classes of property crime including a 32 per cent drop in break-and-enters (76 fewer calls), a 28 per cent decrease in vehicle thefts (56 fewer) and an eight per cent drop in theft under $5,000 (86 fewer).
“Everything is green, which is good, because everything is showing a decrease,” Moore said.
He mentioned the rash of break-ins experienced over two weekends in November. He said the detachment put extra resources on the case and determined it was likely the same people responsible for those crimes.
He said video obtained from a private citizen proved to police that more than one person was involved.
“We don’t have anyone under arrest … but that investigation is ongoing. It is in no way concluded.”
Despite the late-year crime spree, the statistics show decreases in most areas.
Moore said St. Albert RCMP has made good use of “bait” vehicles and equipment, items tagged with GPS technology that are put out to be stolen. There are cars, generators, snowmachines, trailers, ATVs and more.
He described one instance that was nearly unbelievable.
Police were tracking an individual who had stolen a trailer. They followed him to Edmonton, where for unclear reasons he hit the covert police vehicle and disabled it (while still pulling the stolen trailer), enabling the man to escape on foot. The man then returned to St. Albert and “proceeded to steal the bait vehicle.” He was arrested.
Police have access to more detailed information than readers may see in the Crime Map hosted on the St. Albert website, enabling them to place bait vehicles and other equipment in places and at times where they are more likely to yield results.
Resources aimed at combating shoplifting, which picks up at this time of year, Moore said, likewise can be adjusted with intelligence from an RCMP crime analyst.
Moore said RCMP will continue to focus on those areas, car thefts, break-and-enters, and on shoplifting with some of the city’s larger retailers.
