Smash-and-grabs up 200% at Dawson Creek businesses, police say

Commercial break-ins are reportedly up by more than 200 per cent in Dawson Creek, B.C., prompting an emergency meeting between business owners who are finding themselves out of pocket.

RCMP say they've received 47 reports of commercial theft since Jan. 15, compared to 15 in the same period last year.

Clint Switzer is the manager of a farm equipment dealership. His business has had three utility vehicles stolen over the past few months.

"It's been quite frustrating," Switzer said.

"We used to hear about it every few months, these things happening, now we're hearing about it on a weekly — if not daily — basis."

The manager said the thefts are having a big impact on the business' bottom line.

"We've suffered loss of equipment and along with that comes property damage ... We're literally into the hundreds of thousands of dollars [in losses]."

Emergency meeting

The local chamber of commerce held an emergency meeting over the weekend to discuss the spike in crime. Kathleen Connelly, chamber president, said it was a "packed" house.

"Clearly, it's high on the list of concerns for our business owners," she said.

Many at the meeting called for more police patrols. Switzer, for his part, said he and his colleagues have increased security in and outside the store.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Damon Werrell said many of the thefts follow a similar pattern.

"It's likely a small group that are breaking the windows out, a door, or punching out the lock, doing a quick smash-and-grab," the officer said. "Quickly entering the business, taking what they have immediately available to them and then exiting quickly." 

No arrests have been made. 

With files from Nicole Oud