VANCOUVER - Despite a vicious gang war raging in Metro Vancouver this time last year, Vancouver itself recorded fewer murders in 2009 than in 2008.
Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu says crime overall is down in the city, though he admits the crime rate remains higher than other major Canadian cities because of addiction-fuelled property crime.
Vancouver had 18 homicides last year, down from 19 in 2008, and attempted murders dropped to 18 from 22.
Assaults and robberies also dropped but sexual offences rose almost 58 per cent in part, Chu says, because of higher enforcement focused on the child-sex trade.
The Metro Vancouver area saw dozens of gang killings and brazen daylight shootouts mostly in the first half of 2009 as local gangs battled for control of the drug trade.
Chu says programs to make gangsters unwelcome in Vancouver itself have helped cut incidents of shots fired and problems in local clubs.
Despite brazen gang war, Vancouver stats show most crime down in 2009
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Published on
January 21, 2010
- Published on February 24, 2010
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