Is there a lot of crime in New Westminster BC?

Traffic crimes have increased, persons offences are holding steady, and property offences have dropped in New West compared to 2023, according to the latest statistics from the New Westminster Police Department.

At its September meeting, the police board received a report with NWPD statistics from August.

The report showed there were 77 total monitored persons offences in August 2024. That included 57 common assaults, eight sexual assaults, nine assaults with weapon or causing bodily harm, and three robberies.

According to the report, there were 524 total monitored persons offences in the city between January and August 2024. That is exactly the same number during the same time frame in 2023, but it is an increase from the 430 incidents reported in in 2022.

Here’s a look at how some of the statistics in this category compare from 2024 to 2023, between January and August:

Homicide: no homicides in 2024 or 2023
Attempted homicides: none in 2024, down from one in 2023
Sexual assaults: 52 in 2024, up from 42 in 2023
Assault – common: 329 in 2024, up from 295 in 2023
Assault with a weapon or cashing bodily harm: 120 in 2024, down from 123 in 2023
Assault – aggravated: two in 2024, down from six in 2023
Robbery: 21 in 2024, down from 57 in 2023

Statistics presented to the police board show there has been a decrease in both of the domestic violence categories in the first eight months of 2024, compared to 2023:

Domestic violence: 315 incidents in 2024, down from 400 in 2023.
Family violence: 157 incidents in 2024, down from 194 in 2023.

Property crime

The NWPD’s monthly report also included statistics about 146 property offences reported in August 2024: 50 theft (other) under $5,000; 42 mischief $5,000 or under; 30 theft from vehicle; 12 theft of vehicle; five break and enter – other; four break and enter – business; and three break and enter – residence.

According to the report, the total monitored property offences in the first eight months of 2024 has decreased from the same time period in both 2023 and 2022. The 1,160 offences in 2024 compares to 1,388 in 2023 and 1,358 in 2022.

All totalled, the report shows there were 1,160 property offences reported in New Westminster from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, 2024, which is down from 1,388 in 2023.

Here’s a look at how the January to August 2024 property offence statistics compare to 2023:

Break and enter – business: 72 in 2024, down from 88 in 2023
Break and enter – residence: 40 in 2024, down from 64 in 2023
Break and enter – other: 39 in 2024, down from 41 in 2023
Theft of vehicle: 100 in 2024, up from 80 in 2023
Theft from vehicle: 232 in 2024, down from 418 in 2023
Theft – other, over $5,000: nine in 2024, down from 12 in 2023
Theft – other, under $5,000: 382 in 2024, up from 326 in 2023
Mischief over $5,000: three in 2024, down from nine in 2023
Mischief $5,000 or under: 283 in 2024, down from 350 in 2023

The report also provides statistics in other categories, including impaired driving and traffic offences. All totalled, the NWPD has responded to 445 traffic collision offences in 2024, an increase from last year’s 427 incidents in the same period.

On the weapons front, the New Westminster Police Department responded to three weapons offences in August, bringing the 2024 total (until the end of August) to 49. That’s a decrease from 70 in 2023.

The report also outlined some of the “other non-criminal offences” attended by the NWPD. Here is how some of those stats look: