Edmonton police responded to nearly 4,000 residential break-ins in Edmonton last year. This means a home or garage break-in occurs every two hours, Det. Dan van den Berg, with the EPS, told CBC Radio’s Edmonton AM.
“Anecdotally, I would suggest that addictions may be (driving) the rise, especially meth use,” he said. “Meth is most certainly the common factor” accounting for the steady growth in Edmonton break-ins.
Of 700 people surveyed who’ve recently experienced a burglary, 67% said their emotional and mental health took a major hit, along with 63% who now have trouble sleeping. Police have also seen an almost 52% YoY increase in mental health calls.
The driving forces behind home invasion—addiction, COVID, recession—are likewise propelling massive growth in WCB and group-benefit premiums. And yet, just as many homeowners fail to take precautions until after a break-in, many employers neglect a basic disability program until premiums spike, their bidding power becomes crippled, or they’re hauled into court. And the great tragedy is, as the old saying goes, that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
