DRUG DEALERS 'UNWELCOME' IN ROYAL CITY

New Westminster Police believe a crackdown on drug dealing in the city's downtown has created a spike in the number of drug-related offences recorded in April.

According to police board crime statistics, the number of drug-related offences spiked to a new five-year high of 78 for the month of April, surpassing the previous high of 56 offences in April 2001.

Overall, the number of Criminal Code offences in New Westminster for the month of April reached levels not seen since 2001.  Police dealt with 1,049 Criminal Code offences in April of this year, compared to 813 in April 2002; 794 in 2003; and 1,100 in 2001, a five-year high.

Police have been cracking down on drug deals around the downtown core and SkyTrain stations.

"This pressure on the downtown has caused what's known as crime displacement," said New Westminster Police Insp.  Frank Ciaccia.  "Some of this crime has moved to the Royal Avenue area."

He said every time there is a squeeze on drug dealing in other communities, such as Surrey and Burnaby's Metrotown, there is a noticeable increase in activity in New Westminster, as dealers look for safer grounds to conduct their business.

Ciaccia said police are trying to let drug dealers know that New Westminster is not open for that kind of business.

"We're trying to make them feel as unwelcome here as Surrey is," said Ciaccia.

The police service's drug section, with the help of the street crime unit, arrested 24 street-level traffickers and "dial-a-dopers," said Ciaccia in his report.

In his report, Ciaccia said there has been a "huge de-crease" in the number auto thefts, simply by targeting drug users and sellers.

"It is very evident the two activities are linked," said Ciaccia.

During the first four months of this year, New Westminster Police Service dealt with 241 drug offences, compared to 172 for the same time period in 2003, and 165 in 2002, and 201 in 2001.

As well, there were 93 offences committed against persons in April, compared to 94 in March, 81 in February and 88 in January.

According to police statistics, there were 478 property offences in April, a new high for the month over a five-year period.

The 478 compares to 541 property offences in March, 466 in February and 476 in January.

Police also dealt with eight robbery offences in April, compared to 13 in March, 14 in February and eight in January.

There were 84 assaults in April, compared to 98 during the same month in 2003, 75 in April, 2002, 97 in 2001 and 65 in 2000.

Police also dealt with 83 break-and-enters in April of this year, for a total of 331 for the first four months of this year.

The 100 autos stolen in April is a five-year high for that month.

For the first four months of this year there have been a total of 387 stolen motor vehicles, compared to 428 in 2003, 338 in 2002 and 374 in 2001.

There were 98 thefts from motor vehicles in April, compared to 148 in March, 140 in February and 121 in January, for a total of 507 for the first four months of the year.