The number of armed robberies and break and enters in Saskatoon are on pace to rise this year.
According to figures from the Saskatoon Police Service, officers responded to 22 armed robberies and 215 break and enters last month. If those rates continue for the remainder of the year, the numbers will be higher than any figure from 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Police spokesperson Kelsie Fraser said a major driving force behind the robberies is drugs.
“In a nutshell, people are looking for quick cash, so whatever they can do to get money for their next fix,” Fraser said.
The number of break and enters has increased each year since 2014, with police responding to 2,284 incidents last year. This year, the figure is on track to reach 2,580.
The statistics for armed robberies don’t follow the same pattern, but are still set to rise significantly this year. The number of armed robbery calls would reach 264 this year if January’s numbers keep pace.
Police responded to 188 armed robberies last year, 185 in 2015 and 213 in 2014.
