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New crime trends have emerged in Calgary due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a steady drop in violent offences and residential robberies, according to the local police service.

Supt. Steve Barlow said police are beginning to see the effect of the novel coronavirus and associated public health orders on crime, given it’s been seven weeks since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in Calgary.

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“Overall violence has decreased steadily since mid-March, down about 40 per cent, we believe due in part to the closure of bars and nighttime venues,” said Barlow.

He said home break-and-enters are down about 40 per cent. However, Barlow reminded Calgarians that as the weather warms up, they should be diligent in locking their doors and closing their windows.

Commercial robberies, on the other hand, have increased slightly with widespread closures of local shops.

The majority of attempted or successful robberies in the city are opportunistic, Barlow said, and police believe many of them can be attributed to the vulnerable population seeking shelter and the release of several prolific offenders.