The Saskatchewan RCMP says break-and-enter numbers in its jurisdiction have remained mostly stable from 2023 to 2024 but with a significant shift. Overall incidents increased very slightly but break-ins to homes are actually down.

According to a media release this week, break-and-enters rose by 2 per cent year-over-year driven primarily driven by property crimes involving non-residential locations, including sheds, outbuildings, and abandoned houses.

Residential break-ins, by contrast, dropped by 15 per cent over the past decade, with more than 300 fewer households impacted today than ten years ago.

Staff Sergeant Jill McLaren leads the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Community Safety and Wellbeing Unit and said in a news release that although break-ins may not cause physical harm, they are violating and intrusive.

McLaren emphasized that even with the long-term decline, break-ins to residences remain the most common type of property crime across Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdictions.

She also stressed the importance of reporting suspicious activity pointing to a recent case in Swift Current where public reporting was key to the investigation. There was a string of rural property break-ins in June that led to two arrests where police laid more than 80 charges against the pair. Further investigation linked the same individuals to residential break-ins in the Maple Creek area.

RCMP tips to prevent break-ins:

Install security systems or motion-sensor lights.
Lock all doors and windows, even when at home.
Make homes look occupied when away — avoid posting vacation details online.
Keep valuables out of sight, and do not leave spare keys in obvious locations.
Clear brush and trees for better sightlines on the property.
Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity or becomes a victim of property crime is urged to report to the RCMP by calling 310-RCMP or using the RCMP’s Online Crime Reporting tool. Anonymous tips can be submitted via Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or saskcrimestoppers.com.