SURREY — Whalley has recorded the highest number of violent crimes so far this year of all Surrey communities, followed by Newton.
According to the most recent RCMP statistics, the city recorded 5,498 violent crimes in the first three quarters of 2015. There were 3,939 over the same period in 2014, making for a 40 per cent increase. The police have seven homicides on their list, 23 attempted murders, 497 robberies, 228 sexual assaults, 2,670 assaults and 47 abductions and kidnappings.
To break it down, Whalley, or District 1, recorded 1,810 violent crimes. There were five homicides, nine attempted murders, 174 robberies, 43 sexual assaults, 975 assaults and 16 abductions and kidnappings.
The population of District 1 is 81,096. Whalley had the second most property crimes, after Newton, with 6,415 offenses related to such things as break-ins, auto theft, shoplifting, fraud and arson.
Newton (District 3) recorded 1,774 violent crimes. It's population is considerably larger, at 139,613 residents.
Newton in the first three quarters of this year recorded 11 attempted murders, 135 robberies, 92 sexual assaults, 868 assaults and 19 abductions and kidnappings.
Newton did have the highest number of property crimes, with 6,727 offenses.
Third on the list for the highest number of violent crimes and property crimes is District 2 (Guildford and Fleetwood) with 1,085 violent crimes and 5,000 property crimes. This district's population is 128,648. Of violent crimes, in Guildford and Fleetwood, in the first three quarters of this year there has been one attempted murder, 129 robberies, 48 sexual assaults, 466 assaults and seven abductions and kidnappings.
Further down the list is District 4 (Cloverdale and Port Kells), population 79,542, with 482 violent crimes which included two homicides, two attempted murders, 33 robberies, 23 sexual assaults, 221 assaults and three abductions and kidnappings.
District 4 also had the lowest number of property crimes: 2,985.
District 5 (South Surrey), population 85,470, had the lowest number of violent crimes — 347 — of all five policing districts in the city, with 26 robberies, 22 sexual assaults, 140 assaults and two abductions/kidnappings.
The RCMP statistics list zero homicides in South Surrey so far this year despite the fatal shooting of Hudson Brooks, 20, of Surrey by police in July, in front of the District 5 office at 152 Street and 18 Avenue.
Asked why that is, Surrey RCMP Cpl. Scotty Schumann said "If they're not scored as that, they just wouldn't show up.
"I don't have a reason for you," he said.
The Independent Investigation Office (IIO), the province's police watchdog, was called in to investigate the shooting.
Meanwhile, according to the RCMP stats, District 5 has the second lowest number of property crimes — 3,065 — of Surrey's five policing districts.
All told, according to police, Surrey recorded 24,192 property crimes in the first three quarters of 2015 compared to 26,712 offences recorded over the same period in 2014, for a nine per cent decrease in property crime.
tom.zytaruk@thenownewspaper.com