Crime Alert

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Crime Alert Crime Prevention Issues

Spotlight on Safety and Security

Posted on October 22, 2020

Over the last few weeks we’ve received a number of emails from residents across Cabbagetown, advising us of safety and security issues in our neighbourhood. Our partner residents associations in Winchester Park and Cabbagetown South are also seeing an uptick in crime in their catchment areas.

Some of the things we have heard recently:

  • People following delivery trucks around Cabbagetown in their own cars and stealing boxes off of porches – directly after they’ve been delivered!

An increase in the number of:

  • Home invasions, during the day and night.
  • Assaults/sexual assaults on streets and in parks, sometimes in broad daylight.
  • Bicycle thefts, back laneway car break-ins/thefts and garage break-ins/thefts.

I should point out that most of the more serious crimes identified above are not, to our knowledge, occurring regularly in the CRA catchment area (St James Cemetery to Gerrard, Parliament to the Don River). However, if you are out and about in the neighbourhood, it’s simply a reminder to stay vigilant, safe and sound.

TIPS ON THINGS TO DO TO REDUCE CRIME

Here are a few commonsense tips on how to stay safe and secure:

  • Don’t walk or take pets out late at night/very early in the morning. If you have to, walk with someone else.
  • Parking on the street? Make sure nothing is visible in you car. Even a small amount of change can be enough for someone to smash your window.
  • Make sure that your back gates and garages are securely locked and bolted at all times.
  • Store bicycles out of site and securely locked, ideally indoors.
  • Ensure that all entry/exit doors and downstairs windows are locked at all times.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and garden decor whenever possible to deter thieves from stealing them.
  •  Invest in an alarm system if you don’t have one, ideally connected to a monitoring provider. 
  • Install video cameras at the front and back of your house, or at least a video doorbell  (well known brands include Ring, Arlo, Blink, Nest).
  •  Lighting is a great way to deter intruders from coming onto your property. Go outside your residence after dark and do an audit. Are there dark spots? Do the bushes and trees need to be trimmed?  Consider installing security lights in back laneways and/or front and back gardens. You can now get inexpensive and effective solar-powered options with motion detection that are a breeze to install.
  • Have parcels delivered to local depots like Penguin Pick-up or the Post Office (for Amazon), or elect for signature on delivery, so the parcel is not left on your doorsteps.
  • Report any streetlights that are out in your neighbourhood. Especially the lights in our alleyways They all have individual numbers and it’s important that they all remain operational. 

REPORTING A CRIME IS CRITICAL

It’s really important to report ALL crimes. The more the police know about them, the more local police we have and the more patrols they do. But remember, getting an incident number assigned is all important. Once your report has an incident number, it becomes part of the crime statistics. Here’s all the different ways you can report crimes in our neighbourhood.

 

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Crime Alert

Two overnight break-ins along Wellesley Street East

Two neighbours report break-ins through the back entrances to their residences in the early hours of Monday, March 5 in the same area of Wellesley Street East

Around 2 a.m. an intruder kicked the back door of one home and smashed the glass open; the person fled when the residents and the resident’s dog awoke and made noise. Police were notified and patrolled the area.

The second incident occurred around 6 a.m. when an intruder rummaged through the car in another resident’s garage, got into the backyard and then came into the home’s kitchen. The household dogs awoke and the intruder fled. The residents had a security camera operating and images have been turned over to the police.

Our safety and security lead for the residents’ association, Des Ryan, reminds us all to be vigilant and look out for each other, and to always report any incident to police as it helps them detect patterns and make the case for increasing patrols in our neighbourhood.

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Crime Alert Crime Prevention

Two men arrested, charged with 14 counts related to auto vandalism

Toronto Police have announced that two men were arrested around 4 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 19 near Sackville Street. by undercover police officers.

Police issued a news release about the arrests just before noon on Monday, Feb. 19, with the following text:

“The Toronto Police Service, 51 Division, would like to make the public aware that two arrests have been made in the investigation into a rash of vandalism that occurred to vehicles in the Cabbagetown area.

“It is alleged that, at approximately 4 a.m. this morning, members of the 51 Division Major Crime Unit and the 51 Division Community Response Unit, were in the area and noticed suspicious behavior.

“The officers witnessed two people entering vehicles which were parked along Sackville Street and also committing damage to them. These suspects were approached by the officers and immediately ran. The officers pursued and were able to apprehend the suspects after a brief chase. Located were a knife and an ice-pick-type instrument on each suspect.

“The following were arrested and charged:

Estuardo Anfree Rivas, 21 years old, Toronto
* Mischief/Damage to Property not exceeding $5,000.00 X5
* Theft Under $5000.00
* Possession of Break and Enter Instrument
* Carry Concealed Weapon

Samson Bambino Carter, 18 years old, Toronto
* Mischief/Damage to Property not exceeding $5,000.00 X5
* Carry Concealed Weapon

The investigation is continuing and members of the public are being encouraged to continue being aware and vigilant of suspicious activity and to contact police and report any behavior that they find suspicious.

The investigators would still like residents to review their personal home security surveillance systems and send any video to police that may have captured vehicles being damaged or any other suspicious activity or persons.”

Please see the Cabbagetowner’s previous post on the auto vandalism, published Feb. 15,  for all the how-to tips on submitting video and reporting to the police.

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Crime Alert Crime Prevention

Feb. 15 update on auto vandalism in Cabbagetown

Incidents of auto vandalism, first reported Feb. 8 on The Cabbagetowner post Auto vandalism investigation continues, have continued in our neighbourhood, with the latest reports coming from Sumach and Geneva streets.

The following breakdown and plotting of occurrences were provided today by Toronto Police Services 51 Division. Apologies for the poor /small quality of the map, but it does show the concentration of occurences, with 45 reported.

“There is no reasonable time frame for these occurrences, only that the overwhelming majority are occuring overnight after the vehicles have been parked for the night,” says Detective Sergeant Scott Spratt, who is in charge of the investigation. “At this point, there is no suspect information available.” Occurrences have happened on every night of the week, although there is a higher concentration on Tuesdays.

The CRA is recommending that, if you have security cameras at your property, please point them toward the street overnight. If you see anything suspicious when you review the footage, please submit to Toronto Police 51 Division, using this wetransfer link D51.wetransfer.com

Advice on how to package the video and information you should include: the “GO#” is the incident number for a crime report. If you have not filed a report because you have not been personally affected, indicate this if footage related to Cabbagetown auto vandalism.

Once uploaded, an email is sent automatically to the criminal investigation unit (CISU), then CISU processes the video and/or loads smaller clips directly into the occurrence file, which goes to the assigned investigator.

CRA volunteers have heard that some neighbours have experienced minor acts of vandalism (such as letting air out of a tire) that they have not reported because it did not seem worth it at the time: however, the more reports police have, the better they are able to track patterns and investigate. If you have not reported auto vandalism from 2018, please do so now. Police ask that you use this online reporting tool: http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/core/damage_to_vehicle.php

PC Kim Kelly and PC Sean Imrie are reviewing the videos and assisting: they can be reached at 416-808-5108.

Everyone should be vigilant about checking their car tires before starting up their vehicles: one resident reported that tires in that instance were not slashed or damaged, but air had been let out; the flats were not noticed before driving away, resulting in expensive damage to the wheels.

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Crime Alert Crime Prevention

Auto vandalism investigation continues

The Cabbagetown area has had a rash of vandalism aimed at cars parked on the street. As reported in a recent CRA crime alert (to which you can subscribe if you don’t already do so), eight cars were spray painted along Bowman and Flagger streets on Jan. 31. There have also been reports over last weekend and this week of tires slashed or gouged on Laurier Spruce and Wellesley streets, and on Ontario between Carlton and Gerrard in the Cabbagetown South Residents Association area.
 
If you have had any damage done to your car in the past weeks, please report it to Toronto police so they understand the full scope of the issue.

Police ask that you use this online reporting tool:
 http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/core/damage_to_vehicle.php
 
If you have a neighbour who has had a vehicle damaged but may be uncomfortable with the online reporting form, please consider assisting that person to report. It only takes a few moments to complete.
 
If you have any security cameras that face the streets that have been affected, and were operational at the times of the vandalism, please secure that footage and contact Toronto Police 51 Division, which covers our neighbourhood, at 416 808 5100 to arrange to have investigators take a look at it. You may not think you have anything to offer, but no clue is too small. 
 
The Cabbagetown Residents Association has been in touch with 51 Division and has met with a representative from Ward 28 Councillor Lucy Troisi’s office on this matter. The councillor’s office is advocating for continued police investigation and action.

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Crime Alert

Police release photo of suspect in Sherbourne-Carlton sexual assault Oct. 30

On Nov. 23, police issued a photo of a suspect in an Oct. 30 sexual assault near Sherbourne and Carlton streets.

News of the assault was not made public at the time of the incident.

According to a Toronto Sun report, Toronto Police say the victim, a 29-year-old woman, was walking 12:40 p.m. on Oct. 30 when the incident unfolded.

“A man approached the woman and sexually assaulted her,” Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu said. She said the attacker was last seen running north on Sherbourne Street

Investigators believe the suspect to be 40 to 45 years old, about 5-foot-6, 150 pounds with a medium build. He was wearing black pants, a grey hooded jacket and a white head covering.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect’s identity or whereabouts is urged to call police at 416-808-5100 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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Crime Alert

Police seeking information on Sherbourne Street stabbing Oct. 31

Toronto police have reported that a man suffered serious injuries when he was stabbed at Sherbourne and Shuter streets at 5:27 a.m. Oct. 31.

A Toronto Paramedic Services spokesperson said the victim, about 35 years old, “suffered stab wounds and was taken in serious condition to a trauma centre.”

Toronto police closed Sherbourne in both directions between Dundas and Shuter streets for the investigation.

Anyone with information should contact 51 Division police at 416-808-5100 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at 222tips.com or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).

Categories
Crime Alert Crime Prevention Safety and Security

Crime alert: Local thefts – photos available of person of interest

The man pictured below is a person of interest related to some local thefts. If you see him, please contact Toronto Police at 416-808-2222.

Friday September 15 at Stout Irish Pub (facebook.com), this person was captured on video attempting to enter a number of staff-only rooms and was found 5 minutes later in a staff washroom routing through lockers, purses and bags. He was confronted and left, but some money and cigarettes were later found to be missing. In another incident, a resident has posted (facebook.com) that they believe the same person is responsible for a residential break-in and took money intended for a charity. Both incidents have been reported to Toronto Police. In a separate incident, he was seen in unauthorized areas around the Local GEST.


Click images for larger versions


If you have any information about this or any other matter of similar concern – call Toronto Police. Also, be sure to report crimes of any severity or value to the police as they monitor these reports and assign resources accordingly. If you would like to let fellow residents know also, please contact us and let us know what you would be comfortable with us sharing.

Toronto Police:
416-808-2222 for non-emergency inquiries
911 for emergencies and crimes in progress
Toronto Police CORE (Citizen Online Report Entry)
Toronto Police Bicycle Registration Form

how to report a crime - click for PDF

Categories
Crime Alert Crime Prevention

Update on recent string of nearby shootings

After the recent string of shootings nearby in Regent Park, we wanted to give you a status update on our communications with Toronto Police Services 51 Division. Our Safety and Security Liaison, Des Ryan, has been in communication with our local police since gunfire was reported and confirmed in April at Broadcast Lane and Winchester St. in Cabbagetown. The recent series of shootings in Regent Park are not known to be related, but are of great concern to many of our residents and the 51 Division Unit Commander is keen to keep the community as informed as possible and to seek our assistance.

While our ward doesn’t have a councillor at the moment, ward staff have let us know that this issue has their office’s full attention. They have been working closely with Toronto Community Housing, 51 Division Police, and the city’s Community Crisis Response Unit. 51 Division has increased patrols in the area – in addition to the dedicated Regent Park Community Response officers – and TCH has dispatched more Community Safety Unit officers to the neighbourhood. We can confirm that officers have been very quick to respond to reports of gunfire (and fireworks).

Police are seeking any assistance that residents can provide such as identifying suspects photographed in the August 28 / September 4 shootings (images available here) or any surveillance camera images of suspicious activity – no matter how insignificant it might seem. Des will be meeting with the 51 Division Unit Commander within the next few days for further updates which we will share with you.

There have been four shootings in Regent Park within the past month (1 person killed, 4 injured), plus one shooting in July (1 person killed) and another in January (1 person killed). There was also confirmed gunfire in April at Broadcast Lane near Winchester St.; fortunately no injuries were reported in this incident.

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Crime Alert

Crime alert: Shooting at Gerrard St. E. and Nasmith Ave.

In what is becoming a weekly occurrence, there was another shooting close to the neighbourhood this evening. Toronto Police tweeted at 11:40 p.m. that there was a shooting and a person was taken away in an ambulance 15 minutes later. In the photo below, police tape can be seen around the play area on the south side of Gerrard Street East, south of Nasmith Avenue.

Updated Sept. 24 11:30 a.m.:
CBC is reporting that the person found at the scene was seriously injured, but after surgery is currently listed as in stable condition.

City News is reporting that police are seeking 2 suspects described as black males, over 6 feet in height and in their 20s.

This incident occurred approximately 20 metres from the scene of the fatal shooting on January 30 2017 of 18 year-old Ali Rizeig. There is a TCHC security camera a few metres away from the scene of both of these shootings, which we hope captured these incidents (image below).

There have been a number of shootings in Regent Park over the past few weeks:
July 2, 2017 – Regent St. and Cole St. (person killed)
August 28, 2017 – Dundas St. E. and Sackville St. (person injured)
Sept. 4, 2017 – Gerrard St. E. and Sumach St. (person injured)
Sept. 16, 2017 – Gerrard St. E. and River St. (1 person killed, 1 injured)

Pictures of suspects in the August 28 and September 4 shootings have been made available by Toronto Police.

As well as these shootings south of the neighbourhood, gunfire was reported and confirmed at Broadcast Lane near Winchester St. on April 20 2017.

We will update this page as more information becomes available.

Police officers around a taped-off play area in Regent Park on Saturday September 23, 2017
Image of police car in front of crime scene
Ambulance leaves with lights and sirens at 11:55 p.m. on Saturday September 23, 2017
Image of police cars and ambulance

Posters such as the one pictured below were posted in parts of Cabbagetown shortly after the September 4 shooting
Poster warning of random shootings in the neighbourhood

Location of a security camera very near to the January 30 and September 23 shootings
Security Camera location in Regent Park


If you have any information about this or any other matter of similar concern – call Toronto Police. Also, be sure to report crimes of any severity or value to the police as they monitor these reports and assign resources accordingly. If you would like to let fellow residents know also, please contact us and let us know what you would be comfortable with us sharing.

Toronto Police:
416-808-2222 for non-emergency inquiries
911 for emergencies and crimes in progress
Toronto Police CORE (Citizen Online Report Entry)
Toronto Police Bicycle Registration Form

how to report a crime - click for PDF

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