In part one of this series, we heard concerns from residents about what they say is an increase in crime in Sechelt, while part two was dedicated to hearing from some residents of the tent city on Hightide Avenue who say they’re “not all thieves.” For this third story, we hear from some of the district’s decision makers and, finally, next week we’ll explore some possible solutions.
A new Facebook group dedicated to sharing information about crime in Sechelt has gained almost 1,000 followers in less than a month — that’s almost 10 per cent of this Sunshine Coast community’s total population.
And, while some might suggest a Facebook group is sometimes not the best source for factual news, the Sechelt Community Crime Watch page is a gripping read, full of posts detailing property thefts and, even more disturbing, an increase in break-and-enter cases during which residents are home, sometimes with children sleeping just steps away. Many residents, not all members of the Facebook page, point their fingers directly at the tent city and Sechelt Shelter on Hightide Avenue.
Residents who’ve joined the page, which is moderated by Sechelt residents Julia Atkins and Annie Storey, also share suggestions on how to keep their homes safe from what they say is a parade of prowlers roaming properties in search of anything not tied down or locked away.
Though, according to many, locks are not much help when it comes to keeping property secure. Instead, residents are recommending motion-sensor lights, security systems, clearing brush away from windows and doors, and purchasing air horns as a way to warn neighbours if they spot someone suspicious in the middle of the night. Talk of vigilantism is also on the rise, with occasional threats of violence creeping into the dialogue.
Atkins, Storey and many other residents had been unsuccessfully lobbying for a public meeting with District of Sechelt Mayor John Henderson, council members and the RCMP. And, in response to a recent inquiry from Coast Reporter, the district said no meeting was planned for the near future. That changed last week when during council’s Aug. 7 regular meeting, Coun. Brenda Rowe, who is also chair of the Community Safety Select Committee, introduced the topic, saying she has been meeting with community members who are “very concerned” for their safety.
As reported in Coast Reporter last week, Rowe said she and Henderson met with local RCMP members who are keen to be a part of the meeting. Henderson added it's important for council to “get on this” and hear from the community.
“I think there's some misinformation of what is or isn't being done, so a chance just for everybody to chat,” he said, of the meeting.
This week, Rowe said she’s been working with Atkins and Storey to plan a series of meetings to hear residents' concerns and ideas.
“We’re all in this together and communication and collaboration are key to our success,” says Rowe, who confirms the first meeting will be held Aug. 21.
In an earlier interview, Rowe said the closer the district can with work with this vulnerable population, the better chance they have of better understanding exactly is going on.
“But it's very, very complex. My big worry is I see people sort of losing their compassion and that potentially leads to changes in the fabric of a community,” says Rowe. “And I wouldn't say it's even just this. It seemed to start with COVID.”
She adds as a nurse with Vancouver Coastal Health, she was lead for the vaccine clinic on the Sunshine Coast and noticed the community began to change as the vaccine mandate continued.
“And, I don't think social media helps. I do worry, just personally speaking, that I've seen changes in people and that compassion even in the tallest tanks is getting pretty low — and they'll say that themselves,” says Rowe.
She adds, the unhoused population around Hightide Avenue is just the tip of the iceberg and notes there are people living in their cars and in tents in other areas of Sechelt. Rowe says according to the last homeless count, the number of seniors who are now homeless has gone up exponentially.
“There are people who are attached to their stuff. So, you'll have people who are living in their car and paying $800 a month to keep their stuff in storage because they can't afford rent,” says Rowe, who adds the situation also underlines how many homeless people are living with mental health issues.
Many residents, including members of the Sechelt Crime Watch Facebook page, are curious as to why crime stats for Sechelt aren’t discussed quarterly at public council meetings, as they are for Gibsons and other areas of the Sunshine Coast or posted online. Instead, the stats are discussed at quarterly meetings held between the district, RCMP, sometimes Gibsons town council via Zoom, and with a representative from the shíshálh Nation Council. Those meetings are not public.
Sechelt crime stats for April, May and June of this year provided to Coast Reporter from the Sunshine Coast detachment of the RCMP, show auto thefts were up this year, from one to 13 for the same period of 2023, while bike thefts went down from eight to one in 2024. Some residents told Coast Reporter the low number of bike theft cases simply demonstrates that people have stopped reporting many incidents due to a lack of response from the RCMP.
Rowe says the stats used to be attached to council agendas as correspondence and she doesn’t know why they stopped being included as public information.
“So, it's a conversation that I'm going to bring up with the rest of council,” she says.
Another complaint from many residents is that it appears to be the same people either seen or being caught on camera committing the majority of crimes, but they seem to face no repercussions. In a recent incident, a family with guests in both their trailer and in the house had them both broken into at the same time. The trailer was entered by a woman, while a man went into the house. There have been many reports of this same couple committing crimes in and around the blocks surrounding Hightide Avenue.
Staff Sgt. Jennifer Prunty, detachment commander for Sunshine Coast RCMP, confirmed that a file was generated in relation to the break and enter, but added the suspects have not been identified. She notes there was a five-hour delay in reporting the incident to police.
“I’d like to reiterate how important it is to call police right away if people witness a crime,” says Prunty, who adds, a new initiative between the RCMP and district dubbed, “If you see something, say something,” will be launched in the near future.
Is response to requests from some residents for assistance to start a Block Watch program, Prunty says the detachment just doesn't have the resources. She explains while the program is not managed by police, it is coordinated by police.
“It does require a position to coordinate, which we wouldn't be able to provide with our current funding and resource picture,” she says. “So individual neighborhoods are free to create their own communication lines and that sort of thing, but they wouldn't be part of the official Block Watch program.”
Prunty adds if a Block Watch program is something a neighbouhood wants, they should let the RCMP know so they can help residents advocate for an additional position to coordinate it.
Prunty notes there seems to be a misconception that there’s no point reporting crimes to the RCMP because they won’t do anything about it because their hands are tied by the criminal justice system’s bureaucracy.
“They think there’s nothing the police can do about it, but there is and it helps us with creating the picture of what kind of crime is happening in what neighborhoods, so that we can target our resources to those,” she says.
Prunty says clear video surveillance images are very helpful to police investigations, but notes speculation on a suspect’s identity is one thing, but proving it in court is another. She notes, publicly speculating on a suspect’s identity and posting photos can actually hinder and compromise an investigation.
“There is a lot of speculation on Facebook and a tendency to post suspicious incidents and criminal activity, but we’re finding these same things are not being reported to police,” she says. “If there is an immediate concern to safety or a crime in progress call 911. If it is of a non-emergency nature, please call the non-emergency number at 604-885-2266.”
The community meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the Sechelt Activity Centre (formerly the Seniors Centre), at 5604 Trail Ave. If too many people show up and can’t get in, a second meeting will be scheduled.
