PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – A warning that farming areas are not immune to thieves and vandalism may be the push needed to get a rural crime watch program started in British Columbia.
Cpl. Barry Austinson, B.C’s lone livestock investigator stationed in Kamloops, would like to see a program similar to Alberta’s.
Livestock producers are often highly vulnerable to theft as they run their animals across wide stretches of land without regular checks. Austinson hopes the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association will be able to provide a nudge to get a program started.
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Crime statistics for B.C.’s rural areas are vague since people don’t report thefts often enough because they think they are bothering the police with their complaints, said Austinson. Only 134 animals were reported missing last year.
“It’s hard to get a sense of what is going on in B.C.,” he said.
More training urged
During their recent annual meeting, B.C. Cattlemen’s Association members urged the RCMP to incorporate more livestock theft investigation into their training so they are familiar with problems in rural postings.
Rural Crime Watch has operated since 1979 in Alberta.
Statistics show that districts with rural crime watch and range patrols have a lower crime rate than areas that don’t, said Cpl. Emil Smetaniuk, of Alberta livestock investigations.
“Rural areas are becoming easy pickings,” he told the B.C. cattlemen. “If you haven’t been victimized, believe me, it’s coming.”
Thieves are organized and they know it may be hours before victims report they’ve been robbed.
Crime watch is a program whereby neighbors help neighbors by watching any suspicious vehicles or incidents in their area. A number of Alberta communities have a contact officer with their nearby RCMP detachment.
