Facebook page taps frustration over property crime in Whitehorse

A Facebook page dedicated to highlighting property crimes in Whitehorse gained more than 1,500 people in its first 36 hours this week.

Susan Rogan, who founded the page, said she wants to raise awareness about thefts and break-ins around the city.

"I don't think we really are aware of the scale of the problem in this town," said Rogan.

"Really it just started with seeing these various posts here and there, and desperate people looking for, you know, 'all I want back is my photographs,' — and I just felt bad about it all and thought, let's just put in all in one place."

Dozens of posts and comments complain about the occurrences of crime, lack of police response, and leniency shown by courts to those who are caught.

Founder points to other community pages

Rogan said she didn't create the page with any particular outcome in mind, but doesn't want it to blame the police.

She points to a local animal welfare page that helps connect lost pets and their owners.

"They've got 12,000 sets of eyes out there and I'd like to see the same thing with property crime in Whitehorse," Rogan said.

Linda Holm is one of the members.

"When we were first here [in Whitehorse], we never used to lock our doors, didn't lock the cars — I mean, everybody used to do that," she said.

"But now you got security systems and everything, and it's really sad. You can't trust anybody anymore," said Holm.

Holm said after their home was broken into and items stolen, she and her husband installed a security system. When their son's truck was broken into in their driveway, they installed a camera.

After their business was broken into, they installed security system there. The last incident was about eight years ago, when her husband, who is a trucker, had his highway truck stolen.

Holm said they found the truck on their own with no assistance from police. She'd like neighbours to start looking out for neighbours.

No overall increase in property crimes

A common theme on the Facebook page is that property crimes seem to be increasing — but the numbers tell a slightly different story.

Statistics from the RCMP, comparing October 2018 to October 2017 in Whitehorse, show that thefts over $5,000 — usually vehicles and other high-end items — doubled in the past year. 

But thefts under $5,000 and break-ins didn't see much change over that period.

Numbers from Statistics Canada for the past ten years do not indicate an overall increase in property crimes in Whitehorse.

Thefts under $5,000 have risen in the past decade. But there were 138 break and enter reports made in 2008 and 127 in 2017. There 119 stolen vehicles in 2008 and 100 in 2017.

Rogan said it's likely that posts on social media are creating the impression that property crimes are increasing, even if they aren't.

But she adds that awareness about the crimes might help prevent them.