Kelowna crime in a valley

Only Vernon has a rate of property crime lower than Kelowna’s

The rate of property crime in Kelowna is considerably below that experienced in Penticton and Kamloops. Of the B.C. Interior’s four largest cities, only Vernon has a rate of property crime lower than Kelowna’s.

However, Kelowna’s property crime rate between January and May was above the average for same period in the last four years.

“Year to date statistics concerning property crime demonstrate an increase in offences in comparison to the previous four years,” RCMP Supt. Brent Mundle writes in a report to council.

“These offences include theft from autos, theft of autos, and bike thefts,” Mundle writes. “Strategic efforts have been directed at targeting chronic offenders along with the use of our ‘bait car’ program to curb the property crime increase.”

Looking forward, Mundle says there will be a “zero tolerance” approach to illegal drug use at the upcoming Centre of Gravity music and sports festival in City Park, and more noticeable presence of police on foot and bike patrols downtown.

In April, Penticton experienced six property offences for every 1,000 residents. That compared to 5.5 offences per 1,000 people in Kamloops, four offences in Kelowna, and three offences in the Vernon area.

Penticton has had the highest property crime rate of the four cities for most of the months since May 2015. For all four cities, the rate drops in the winter months, while spiking to its highest levels in the summer.