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The IFP - Halton Hills | Thursday, November 10, 2022 | 28 theifp.ca alton.ca ee fein AdHlalton te 311 Y REGION —_ NOTICE OF CONSTRU Main 10 Side Road (Reg. Rd. 10), Eighth Line and Mountainview Road South, Town of Halton Hills (Georgetown) TION Wat PR-3348 October 2022 December 2024 Project Number: Scheduled Start Date: Scheduled Completion Date: For more infec tion about Regional i projects: Building + visit halton.ca; a Better + sign up to receive email notice and updates; or Halton + email accesshalton@halton.ca or call 311. Honouring our nation’s heroes Each year in November we reflect on the courage of Canadian veterans and soldiers, including our Indigenous veterans who have served and protected our rights and freedoms. We remember all those who sacrificed their lives in the World Wars, Korean War and War in Afghanistan, and in ongoing i id i Day (Nov. 11) Gary Carr and National Indigenous Veteran's Day (Nov. 8) that passed, we honour the Regional Ghar bravery and sacrifice of all members of the Canadian Armed Forces, both past and present. mission: Meetings at Halton Region Regional Council meetings are taking place through web conferencing until further notice. Videos will be posted to halton.ca. i, Please contact us, as soon as possible, if you have any accessibility needs at Halton Region events or meetings. CRIME jicle theft is not just a crime of opportunity, as certain makes and models are targeted by te thieves for export ROBBERY, DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com Robbery, extortion and sexual assault are among the crimes that are on the rise in the region, accord- ing to a report presented to the Halton Police Board on Thursday, Oct. 27. During its September meeting, the board called on Halton police to provide more details about grow- ing criminal activity after officers reported a 30.5 per cent increase in Halton's crime rate during the first six months of 2022. ile much of that in- crease was chalked up to crime returning to pre- pandemic levels, Halton police Chief Stephen Tan- ner acknowledged some crimes are occurring more frequently. Halton police noted in their report that between ary and June of 2022 there were 83 robberies re- ported in the region com- pared to an average of 61.5 robberies, which occurred during the same period in the pre-pandemic years of 2018 and 2019. This represents a 25 per Graham Paine/Metroland photo illustration EXTORTION AND OTHER CRIMES ON THE RISE cent increase. The report showed an 11.3 per cent increase in sexual assaults with 114 in- cidents in 2018/2019 com- pared to 137 incidents in iy There was also a 9.7 per cent increase in assaults (418 versus 495 incidents), a 8.9 per cent increase in as- saults with a weapon caus- ing bodily harm (152.5 ver- sus171 incidents), a37.2 per cent increase in extortion (88.5 versus 57 incidents), a . r cent inc in motor vehicle thefts (412 versus 531 incidents), anda 15.5 per cent increase in shoplifting under $5,000 (811.5 versus 1,012 inci- dents). The report noted there were a total of 901 more criminal offences reported during the first six months of 2022 (7,081) than were re- corded during the same pe- riod in 2018 and 2019 (6,180). This represents a crime rate increase of 6.1 per cent when regional population growth is taken into ac- count. Violent crime has re- portedly increased by 16.2 per cent from 1,156 inci- dents in 2018/2019 to1,343 in 2022. When represents a violent crime rate increase of 7.6 per cent. Police said property crime has gone up 17.2 per cent from 4,035 incidents in 2018/2019 to 4,728 incidents in This works out to a property crime rate in- crease of 8.5 per cent when population growth is fac- tored in. "I do believe violent crime is up," said Tanner. “We have had a number of carjackings certainly. We've had a number of rob- beries where firearms are present. I believe, and I've said this before, a lot of those particular crimes are street gang related. Crimi- nals coming here from the east of us." Deputy Chief Jeff Hill noted many of the recent crime. He said Halton po- lice recognize the proble: is not going away and have dedicated officers to com- See - page 29