Crime has increased exponentially in the British Columbia Windy City in the downtown business district and surrounding malls and residential areas.
Two malls on Columbia Street have had a total of 10 break and enters in the last six months with some stores being the victims of repeat incidents, one staff member stabbed & hospitalized and one dead body dumped.
The first photo below is of two suspects removing recyclable bottles from a storage shed. The second one is another attempt where they removed the door itself.
The phot below is of a phone repair store, the entry of which is visible.
What is the answer? Walking patrols in both malls from 9 pm to 7 am? Motorized security is ineffective. At what point do the mall managers take responsibility for keeping their tenants safe?
Are these petty crimes which are not indictable? Would they cease if this was the response to being caught?
The above photo is of the former bus depot converted into a homeless shelter
This building looks like a prison. No windows. Broken entry. Drab exterior. Uninviting. We suspect the interior is similarly depressing.
Compare the above with the one below. In which building would you feel uplifted, welcome and want to live?
We are not simply housing homeless citizens, we are helping them become contributing members of society.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash.
Columbia Square 4 am March 20