Sexual assaults are up by 75 per cent in Collingwood, which points to a trend, according to an update from the Collingwood OPP this week.
At a meeting of the Collingwood Police Services Board on Jan. 18, detachment commander Insp. Loris Licharson provided Collingwood crime statistics for October, November and December 2023, comparing numbers to the same time the previous year.
“This trend with sexual assaults is something we have been noticing throughout the year,” said Licharson during his report.
While Licharson does give board members a written report, he declined to provide the number of incidents of sexual assault in Collingwood, providing only the per cent increase.
He said in having staff look over the sexual assault numbers, they are noticing a “significant increase” of reports – or 33 per cent of the total – are coming from third parties, so friends or family of people involved, rather than victims themselves.
“That’s something we haven’t seen before,” said Licharson.
Property crime has increased by 12 per cent overall.
“As economic times continue to go the way they’re going, we’re going to continue to see issues and concerns of social disorder-type offences, such as mischief, shoplifting and thefts,” he said.
He said break-and-enters are up 29 per cent. Sixteen per cent of all the mischief counted for all of 2023 were thefts from vehicles.
“One particular individual on one day accounted for eight per cent total of our break-and-enters. That person was arrested and charged,” he said. “That kind of spree can impact all our detachment numbers.”
Licharson discussed two incidents when guns were discharged. One was the robbery at D.C. Taylor Jewellers, and the other was a weapon discharge at a private residence. No one was injured in either incident.
Following Thursday’s meeting, Licharson confirmed that the two occurrences happened on the same day, Dec. 4, 2023.
“We do believe they are linked, and appropriate charges have been laid,” he said.
On Dec. 6, 2023, police confirmed that a 17-year-old from Brampton, a 17-year-old from Whitby and a 16-year-old from Brampton were all facing charges of robbery using a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of property obtained by crime (over $5,000), flight from a peace officer, disguise with intent and use of a firearm while committing an offence and pointing of a firearm in relation to the incident. All three cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The Collingwood OPP street crime unit investigated 31 occurrences in October, November and December, and 10 charges were laid through those investigations.
“Those investigations led to a significant seizure of controlled drugs and substances and assorted weapons,” said Licharson. “Those investigations generally take a long time to put together.”
The street value of drugs seized was in excess of $170,000.
The detachment’s mental health response unit responded to 69 first-response calls, made 103 follow-up contacts, 72 outreach contacts, 83 connections/referrals and completed 19 community engagements.
Through RIDE checks, there were 360 vehicles checked, two roadside screening device checks and one arrest for impaired driving. The Collingwood Festive RIDE campaign did 83 checks, with 10 impaired drivers charged in that time period.
Outside of the RIDE numbers, there were five impaired drivers arrested and charged in October, five in November and four in December.
“We are seeing some trends. We are trying to deal with that through proactive patrolling, various investigative means and through proactive messaging through our community service officer,” said Licharson.
