VicPD seeing spike in business break-ins during January

VicPD seeing spike in business break-ins during January
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The Victoria Police Department is cautioning the public after noting a rise in business break-ins during the months of December and January.

The Victoria Police Department is cautioning the public after noting a rise in business break-ins during the months of December and January.

According to a Victoria Police press release, officers have already responded to 28 business break-ins between January 1-18 in 2021. This number already has surpassed the entire month of December 2020, which totalled 26 break-ins.

Police note that this trend of heightened break-and-enters has been occurring for the past four months across Victoria and Esquimalt. In October 2020, there were 18 total break-and-enters, while in November there were 16 incidents.

VicPD officers say that since December, 75 per cent of business break-ins have been concentrated in downtown Victoria and the Burnside Gorge neighbourhood.

Tuesday’s warning from VicPD comes as officers continue to investigate a series of business break-and-enters that occurred overnight along Fort Street on January 15.

In these break-ins, police say the suspect used a sophisticated technique of removing the glass from doors and windows.

“This approach requires specialized tools and knowledge and, in some files, has been effective in defeating alarm systems,” noted police in a release issued on January 5. “In instances when the glass removal technique has failed, the thieves may resort to more brute force methods; smashing windows and prying doors.”

Most of the recent break-and-enters are predominantly occurring overnight when the businesses are unoccupied, add Victoria Police.

VicPD is advising businesses to remove valuables from the store or put them out of view when closing up for the night. Also, police suggest emptying cash drawers, reviewing surveillance systems and reviewing alarms to ensure security measures are working properly.

If you have surveillance footage from the area of the 600-block of Fort Street or know any information about these overnight break and enters, Victoria Police is asking you to call their Report Desk at (250) 995-7654, extension 1.

To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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