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The Daily

The Daily. Tuesday, December 19, 2000

Break and enter

1999

The national rate of residential break-ins fell in 1999 to its lowest level in two decades, according to police data.

Police reported just under 200,000 residential break-ins in 1999, substantially fewer than the peak of nearly 250,000 in 1991. The rate of 649 break-ins for every 100,000 population in 1999 was down 11% from 1998, and was the lowest since 1978.

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However, not all break-ins are reported to the police. A 1999 survey, in which 26,000 people were interviewed about their experiences of victimization, indicated a decline in reporting of break-ins to police between 1993 and 1999. Despite this decrease in reporting, the victimization data also appear to show a decline in the incidence of break-ins, although to a lesser degree.

One possible reason for the decline in reporting may be an increase in insurance deductible amounts in recent years, resulting in fewer minor break-ins being reported to police. Insurance industry data indicate that, in 1994, the deductible amount for 52% of homeowner policies was $200. By 1998, 53% had a deductible of $500. At the same time, the value of stolen or damaged property has remained about the same.

  

Note to readers

This release is based on Breaking and entering, a Juristat from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics. It provides an overview of residential, business and other breaking and entering offences in 1999, including trends at the national, provincial and Census Metropolitan Area levels.

Data include police-reported crime data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey and victimization data from the General Social Survey. The report also examines court sentencing data for youths and adults convicted of breaking and entering offences. There is also a section examining robberies that take place in a private residence as well as the 1% of break and enters with an associated violent offence.

  

Residential break-ins make up almost two-thirds of total

Residential break-ins accounted for 62% of the police-reported total in 1999. A further 26% of break-ins occurred at businesses and the remaining 12% at other types of properties such as garages and storage facilities.

According to police-reported data, property was stolen in 82% of residential break-ins in 1999. The main target in residential break-ins was electronic equipment such as televisions, VCRs, stereos and computers. Damaged property was also reported in 80% of break-ins. The most common time of year for break-ins was the summer months. Police reported the fewest break-ins between January and May.

Among the provinces, Saskatchewan had the highest rate of residential break-ins, followed by Quebec. The lowest rates were in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Montréal had the highest rate among the nine largest Census Metropolitan Areas, and Toronto the lowest.

Residential break and enter offences by province and territory

Residential break and enter offences by province and territory

1999


  No. Rate(1) Percentage change in rate 1994 to 1999
Canada 197,781 649 -17.1
       
Newfoundland 2,539 469 17.6
Prince Edward Island 265 192 -44.0
Nova Scotia 5,436 578 7.7
New Brunswick 3,156 418 -11.1
Quebec 62,900 856 -7.0
Ontario 56,180 488 -22.4
Manitoba 8,907 779 -23.6
Saskatchewan 9,960 969 -3.4
Alberta 14,525 490 -30.3
British Columbia 33,004 820 -24.1
Yukon 311 1,015 1.3
Northwest Territories 410 985 ...
Nunavut 188 695 ...
1Rates per 100,000 population.
...Data not applicable.
Residential break and enter offences by Census Metropolitan Area

Residential break and enter offences by Census Metropolitan Area

1999


  Number Rate(1) Percentage change in rate 1994 to 1999
Population  500,000 and over      
       
Montréal 33,547 976 -1.8
Vancouver 18,259 905 -29.8
Winnipeg 5,266 777 -32.9
Québec 4,530 658 -21.3
Ottawa 5,089 629 -26.2
Calgary 5,424 581 -16.9
Hamilton 3,512 528 -5.2
Edmonton 4,333 466 -49.1
Toronto 17,355 371 -23.7
       
Population  100,000 to 499,999      
       
Regina 3,171 1,592 -22.0
Saskatoon 2,441 1,055 -6.4
Sherbrooke 1,486 970 -28.1
Chicoutimi-Jonquière 1,215 826 -13.6
Trois-Rivières 1,137 802 -28.6
Halifax 2,733 775 1.9
Hull 1,974 771 -5.1
London 2,956 706 -12.5
Sudbury 1,104 688 -31.9
Victoria 1,956 619 -22.0
Kitchener 2,675 609 2.9
St. Catharines-Niagara 2,271 537 -36.6
Saint John 713 487 -16.0
Windsor 1,409 470 -3.5
Thunder Bay 568 448 -53.1
1Rates are calculated per 100,000 population.

According to victimization data, households in urban areas were more at risk of a break-in (52 break-ins per 1,000 homes) than rural households (32 per 1,000 homes). As well, rates were also slightly higher for those who rented their home (60 break-ins per 1,000 homes) than for those who owned (44 per 1,000 homes).

Police-reported data can also shed some light on residential robberies, some of which could be considered "home invasions." Although no such offence exists in the Criminal Code, home invasion is generally defined as forced entry into a home with the intent to rob or inflict violence on the inhabitants. It is possible to estimate trends and characteristics of this type of crime by examining the number of robberies - defined as stealing using violence or the threat of violence - reported by police to have occurred in a private residence, as well as the 1% of residential break-ins with an associated violent offence.

Data from a sample of 106 Canadian police forces, including those of Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, show that this type of offence has been declining over the past five years. While this sample of police forces is not nationally representative, it does encompass 41% of the annual national volume of crime.

The number of robberies reported by police to have occurred in a private residence has declined by 12% since 1995. When this definition is widened to also include any break and enter involving a violent offence, the numbers have also declined since 1995, although by a smaller margin (-2%).

Fifty-eight percent of all persons accused of committing a residential robbery were strangers to the victim and 24% were casual acquaintances. Fifty-eight percent of residential robbery incidents involved a weapon, usually a firearm (22%) or a knife (21%).

Business break-ins rate also declined during the 1990s

The national police-reported rate of break-ins at businesses has also been declining since 1991. Last year, 83,950 businesses reported break-ins to police, producing a rate of 275 for every 100,000 population. This rate represented a 43% decline since the peak in 1991.

Among businesses, the most frequently stolen items were consumable goods such as liquor and cigarettes, followed by cash, machinery and tools, and office equipment.

According to the Insurance Information Centre of Canada, which represents about 80% of the industry, property losses associated with break-ins, both residential and business, cost the insurance industry about $366 million in 1998/99.

More than one in three persons charged was a youth

In 1999, 38% of those charged with breaking and entering were youths aged 12 to 17. Of all major offences, only arson (for which 45% of persons charged were youths) and motor vehicle theft (40%) had a higher proportion of youth involvement.

Repeat offenders, those having one or more prior convictions, accounted for 43% of break-in cases in youth court. Repeat offenders were treated more harshly by the courts than first-time offenders. In 1998/99, 17% of first-time break-in offenders received custody, compared with 58% of repeat offenders.

Juristat: Break and enter, 1999, Vol. 20, no. 13 (85-002-XIE, $8/$70; 85-002-XPE, $10/$93) is now available. See How to order products.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Information and Client Services (613-951-9023; 1-800-387-2231), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.


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