The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Overall crime in the Creighton-Denare Beach area essentially held steady last year despite a spike in property offenses, break-ins and vehicle thefts. Recently released figures from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics show that the region's per-capita crime rate was up three per cent in 2012 compared to 2011. Creighton RCMP responded to 613 incidents last year, up 31 from 2011. That rise, combined with a slight change in the RCMP's population figures for the region, led to the per-capita increase. The Creighton detachment polices an area that includes Creighton, Denare Beach, Sturgeon Landing and some of Highway 106. Figures are not broken down by community. The region recorded a decline in violent crime (107 incidents versus 123), including a drop in level I assaults, the least serious form of assault (58 versus 80). Level II assaults were up slightly (16 versus 11), and whereas there was a single level III assault in 2011, in 2012 there were none. There were also fewer drug violations (12 versus 26) and non-vehicular thefts under $5,000 (25 versus 37). And fewer charges were laid for failing to comply with court orders (53 versus 61) and probation breaches (17 versus 31). But when it came to property crime, there was a notable jump (272 versus 212). Break-and-enters were part of that trend, rising by nearly 50 per cent (46 versus 31). Motor vehicle thefts, though relatively rare, nearly tripled (17 versus six). Mischief violations were up (177 versus 127), as were disturbances to the peace (76 to 67). Impaired driving charges went up as well (39 versus 22), but as with many crime categories, it's impossible to know whether this was due to increased incidents or increased enforcement. It's important to note that year-over-year crime fluctuations are common and do not necessarily indicate a trend. As The Reminder previously reported, Flin Flon experienced a modest 5.6 per cent drop in reported crime in 2012. There was, however, a 32 per cent increase in violent crime in Flin Flon.
