A new Nelson Police Department program is aimed at providing support to victims of break-and-enter crimes.
NPD's Victim Services, a civilian-run team that supports people traumatized by incidences of crime, has begun delivering information packages to Nelson businesses that provide advice for how to prevent break and enters as well as what to do if a business is broken into.
Nina Hamilton with Victim Services said the initiative came about after the program's three-person team, that also includes Jeena Thomson and Barb Vincent, realized break-and-enter victims were not receiving the support they needed.
“We have noticed an increase in terms of the be break and enters, whether it be residential, commercial or vehicle theft," said Hamilton. "So we thought, let's put our heads together and see if we can develop a program that is not only proactive in nature, but reactive in nature to increase safety to our our community.”
Break-and-enter reports to police are on the rise in Nelson. Statistics Canada data shows 62 such reports were made in 2023, which was the most since 2005 (stats for 2024 is not yet available). That runs counter to the rest of B.C., where the number of break-and-enter incidents fell by nearly 10,000 between 2019-2023.
Hamilton said Victim Services developed the new program with input from NPD, Nelson Fire and Rescue, the City of Nelson’s Public Works department, the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce, Nelson Community Services, the Street Outreach team and ANKORS, and was informed by best practices from other departments in B.C.
Approximately 300 businesses in Nelson have so far received an information package, with more to come. Victim Services also has supports for people who have suffered residential or vehicular break and enters.
Break-and-enter victims, Hamilton said, often have questions about those who are arrested, how court proceedings work, and what they can do to improve their own security measures. They are also sometimes in need of emotional support, which Victim Services provides.
“It's quite invasive. Although there might not be any relationship between the offender and the victim, victims often take that quite personally. It is a violation of their safe space. So they're looking for information about emotional support that could be available for them and practical to tools as well.”
Business owners who have not yet received their information package can find details online at nelsonpolice.ca/1026/Business-Security. Victim Services can be contacted at 250-505-5657 or by email at victimservices@nelsonpolice.ca.
