The number of Red Deer home and business owners victimized by thieves has soared in the first three months of 2025, according to RCMP statistics.
Break and enters were up 64 per cent from January to March. In that period, there were 157 break and enters reported, compared with 96 over the same three months in 2024.
However, another common crime, vehicle thefts, are down 29 per cent, with 91 thefts reported, compared with 129 in the first quarter of 2024.
Overall, property crimes of all kinds are up six per cent to 1,602 from 1,508 a year ago. This year's number remain well below previous property crime marks: 1,999 (2023), 2,604 (2022) and 2,295 (2021), according to statistics that will be presented to city council on Tuesday.
One of the most common property crime offences, theft under $5,000, has seen a 17 per cent jump to 706 offences from 602 a year earlier.
Crimes against people, such as robbery, sexual assault and assault are up 11 per cent to 661 offences, compared with 597 in the first three months of 2024. That is the highest number of persons crimes over that period since 2021, when 665 were reported. There were 625 persons crimes counted in the first three months of 2022 and 2023.
From January to March this year, there were 15 robberies reported, down 35 per cent from 23 a year ago. There were 37 sexual assaults, compared with 38 in 2024.
Assaults were up 21 per cent, with 323 reported this year, compared with 266 in 2024.
Drug crimes are down 13 per cent to 78 from 90. Drug trafficking offences are down 20 per cent to 39 from 49 and drug possession numbers are down 21 per cent to 31 from 39.
There is good news on the roads. Injury collisions were down 27 per cent to 60 from 82, and collisions with more than $5,000 in damage were down 12 per cent to 493 from 558. Minor collisions were up 44 per cent to 112 from 78.
