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“So initially, (the break-ins) all went down at homes because everybody was home,” he said. “People are still home, but their garages, their storage lockers for apartments, those are the things that are broken into now.”

The increase in reported residential break-ins over the last month was six per cent, which Roed described as “super minor.” “Since the pandemic started over the past month, we had 201 (reports). On average, we get 190. So it is almost on par,” he said.

But like Surrey, Vancouver has since seen an increase in commercial break-ins, which are up by 97 per cent.

“It has gone up to 355 over the past month from 181 on average every month over the past year,” he said.

“So that’s huge, but these commercial units are empty, there is property inside of them. And there are not as many people on the streets. So that opportunity presented itself initially,” Roed said. “Businesses are definitely taking more of a stance in boarding up, getting property out of their stores, moving it away from windows.”

And police have re-allocated resources, using “multiple surveillance teams, target teams, trying to get these guys before they even break into these stores,” he said.

The VPD has made a number of arrests of suspects in business break-ins.

“It is unfortunate that we continue having success because success means they are out there doing this. So they are not getting the hint, but they are going to jail,” Roed said.

Sturko said more comprehensive quarterly crime statistics would be available next week, but the numbers over the unprecedented month-long period provide a snapshot of what’s been happening in the community.