The number of break and enters are a troubling statistic for the Moose Jaw Police Service. 

According to a police statistics extract, there were 241 break and enter calls in 2019 and 283 calls in 2020, an increase of 17.4 per cent. 

The good news is that the number of break and enters from November of 2020 to March of 2021 is about 94, while during the same time period last year it was 115. While the numbers are trending downwards, it is still a concern for police. 

“When that number is around the 100 mark, it's still, of course, concerning to us that there are 100 property owners that are that are victimized,” said Cst. Kyle Cunningham of the Moose Jaw Police Service. 

He added that it is a mix of residential and business properties that have been victimized. 

“To be honest, it's shared between garages storage bays and to a much lesser extent from residential properties while they're inhabited, but mostly uninhabited,” Cunningham said. 

Here are five tips that Cunningham gave to protect your property from a break-in. 

  1. Give your home the appearance that it is lived in: Make sure sidewalks and driveways are shoveled during the winter, lights are on and mail and parcels are picked up. 
  2. Lock sheds and doors at all times 
  3. Know your neighbours and neighbourhood: Get to know your neighbours, look out for one another and know activities that are happening in your neighbourhood. 
  4. Install security cameras or a security system:  Security cameras can help protect yourself as well as neighbours. 
  5. If something is stolen, call the police immediately: Officers will then determine the next steps. According to Cunningham, serial numbers and photos of the stolen items can increase the likelihood of getting your property back. 

He said following these tips can make a difference. 

“We don't want our inactions to turn into a crime of opportunity for someone elsewhere when we leave our back garage door open or side door open or a gate to our property unlocked.”