Inflation Helping To Produce More Major Theft Charges

By Robert Thomas

If you think inflation has hit your pocketbook the same can be said about crimes happening in the notorious city.

During the media scrum following the public portion of the monthly Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners meeting Moose Jaw Police Service Chief Rick Bourasssa was asked why there was such a steep jump in the number of theft over $5000.

Year to date there has been 13 thefts over $5000 compared to five thefts year to date in 2022. An increase of 160 percent year over year.

Chief Bourassa said the jump in the number of charges for theft over $5000 was because of inflation.

“Part of it is inflation. That might sound facetious, but that is part of it the value of some items has just increased,” he said.

Chief Bourassa said he could not say at the time what types of items were being stolen but inflation was playing a role in the charges being laid.

“There are a lot of items that are over $5000 (in value) that are fairly easy to remove,” he said.

Bourassa stated that the definition of major theft under the criminal code of Canada, has changed over the years.

The value of a major theft has changed during the Chief’s policing career.

He stated during his career in policing the value assigned to major thefts was at one time theft over $200, then it rose to theft over $500 then theft over $1000 and finally the theft over $5000 level it now sits at.