Neighbourhoods along the busy North Road corridor continue to be a hot spot for crime, according to Coquitlam RCMP.
In the latest CompStat analysis issued by police, two neighbourhoods have been singled out as problem areas for break-ins and theft from cars.
From North Road in the west to Robinson Street in the east, and from Smith Ave in the north to Appian Way in the south criminals have been breaking in to homes and stealing from cars.
In another neighbourhood further south, from North Road in the west to Richard Street in the east, and from Austin Avenue in the north to Alderson Avenue in the south, there have been break-ins to businesses as well as residences, and thieves have been stealing cars and breaking into them for any belongings they can find.
Police are warning people to lock their car doors and not leave anything in sight as insurance papers and other information can be used to create fraudulent ID.
Residents can also protect their home by making it visible form the street, installing verifiable alarms, and creating the illusion of occupancy when away.
RCMP spokesperson Michael McLaughlin said it’s not surprising that there is criminal activity in the North Road corridor because it is a busy transit hub, and there are lots of homes and businesses in the area.
However, he wouldn’t go as far as to say that proximity to transit makes these neighbourhoods attractive to the criminal element.
“To say it’s coming from one jurisdiction or another… there is not enough of a trend to say it’s one thing. One (thief) might come from train, three more might own vehicles,” Cpl. McLaughlin said.
However, he pointed out that people can protect themselves and their property by taking steps to make it more difficult for thieves to access their belongings.
For example, simply locking a car might be enough to deter thieves, and removing all personal items, no matter how inconsequential, is also a good idea because it means criminals will simply move on to a car that is easier to get into or that has items that could be of interest.
“Just having your things rifled though, most of us would not want to deal with it,” McLaughlin said.
