By MorinvilleNews.com Staff
Gibbons – The crime rate in Gibbons is on par or slightly below what RCMP expected for this year. That was the verdict of Morinville RCMP Staff Sergeant Mac Richards, who delivered the detachment’s second quarter report to Gibbons Town Council July 28.
“When we look at the quarter as a whole, there are some good news portions in there,” Richards said. “Specifically thefts of vehicles are down, assaults are down and criminal code complaints are down.”
Richards said that although the town is off to a good start in the first half of the year; the third quarter contains two of the historically busiest months for policing – July and August.
“We’ll have a better idea at the end of next quarter where we sit, but the fact is – proportionally – we’re on par or are better than previous years,” Richards said.
The staff sergeant said the one main issue that affects the entire community is property crime, a situation not at all uncommon in the various communities the detachment covers. To date Gibbons has had four break and enters, seven thefts from motor vehicles, one theft over $5,000 and 18 under $5,000. Additionally, there have been 27 reports of mischief to property.
One area of particular concern to administration and council was mischief to property, particularly the recent incidents of vehicles being shot at in proximity to residences. Gibbons’ Town Manager Hank Taylor asked Staff Sergeant Richards if the Morinville Detachment was making any solid progress on the matter. Richards said that although his officers were working the investigation, they did not have any leads that could pinpoint towards any individual or group.
“A great percentage of the time they are localized in the community,” Richards said of crimes similar to the recent vehicles shot at, adding it is usually somebody from the community committing the crime. “Usually there’s other people that have knowledge of it, so that’s one that we always hope that someone finds it within themselves to do the community thing.”
