VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – An almost 16 percent increase in the number of sex assaults in the city has Vancouver Police concerned.

It’s believed more gropings are being reported.

Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu says the increase is obviously a concern to what is already a big and busy sex crimes unit.

“If they need more resources, we will transfer more officers into that unit and we’ll get them supported through other investigators in the organization.”

Chu says most of the sexual assaults were gropings, “so the more serious, aggravated sex assaults that involve penetration, we’re not seeing as big an increase and the gropings. We don’t know if it’s always something that’s happened before and it’s just more awareness and reporting.”

He says the focus will be on continued enforcement and prevention as well.

While most crime statistics in Vancouver are on a downward trend – the same can’t be said for sexual assaults – up by almost 16 per cent.