Property offences up in Kelowna: RCMP report
Global News
According to Kelowna mayor Tom Dyas, 15 repeat offenders were responsible for more than 1,000 police files last year alone.
At the Calowna Costume store in downtown Kelowna, B.C., it’s all about make-believe, but the criminal activity shop owners like Kerri Brandel have to put up with is far too real.
“It’s so defeating,” Brandel said. “We have security film. We have to put bars up. People have doorbells to let certain customers in, certain customers not in.”
Brandel has owned the store for more than three decades but says she’s never experienced so much crime like the past few years.
“We actually had somebody break in three months ago,” Brandel said. “Then we’ve just had another window smashed and this is all coming out of a little business profit that there is hardly any of to begin with, let alone the safety of our staff and customers.”
On Monday, RCMP will present mid-year crime stats to city council.
The report reveals that property offences in Kelowna have increased by 6.4 per cent in the first half of 2025 compared to the same time period last year.
Some of the offences that have increased include shoplifting (up 12.3 per cent), mischief (up 9.7 per cent) and bike thefts (up 38.7 per cent).
While business and residential break-ins are said to be down by 4.8 and 9.2 per cent respectively, they are up by 55 per cent from construction sites and compounds.
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