Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter
Crime in the borough of St. Laurent in the first nine months of 2023 increased 22.3 percent from the same period in 2022, from 2,320 to 2,838 incidents, says SPVM Station 7’s June to September 2023 report.
Throughout this year and last, The Suburban and others have been reporting on numerous incidents in St. Laurent, such as murders, arson of businesses and cars, shootings and stabbings.
According to the SPVM statistics, murders decreased from two in 2022 to zero in 2023. However, at the beginning of October 2023, just after the tabulation period, a 23-year-old man died after being stabbed several times in the upper body at his home at Alexis Nihon Blvd. near Côte de Liesse Road.
Attempted murders increased from three to four incidents. Assaults jumped from 377 to 423, a 12.2 percent increase. Instances of discharging a firearm decreased from 10 to four. Sexual aggression decreased from 63 to 54. Robberies jumped from 61 to 76, a 24.6 percent increase. Other violations of the law against people jumped from 156 to 195, a 25 percent increase.
Acts of arson jumped from 14 to 35, a 150 percent increase — some of these are said to be extortion attempts against Arab business owners. Break-ins increased from 174 to 187 incidents. Car thefts increased from 482 to 647, a 34.2 percent increase. Simple theft increased from 571 to 640, a 12.1 percent increase. Fraud jumped from 253 to 346, a 36.8 percent increase and mischief increased from 127 to 201 incidents, a 58.3 percent hike.
Incidents this year included:
• The seizure of contraband tobacco from some establishments.
• Stolen cars, some of which were recovered in searches and for which people were arrested.
• On Sept. 9, the arrest of two individuals for breaking into a vehicle and a break and enter into a commercial enterprise.
During the Nov. 7 council meeting, a resident asked St. Laurent Mayor Alan DeSousa what the borough is doing about the many instances of criminality in recent months, such as shootings in residential areas.
DeSousa replied that he was not aware of any recent shootings in residential areas. However, there have been shots fired in industrial areas in October and May.
The Mayor added that crimes are being investigated and in numerous cases solved by Station 7 and its commander Pierre Luc-Gauthier, who said early this year that St. Laurent is still a safe and secure community notwithstanding the many incidents that took place in 2022.
“What we do is try to make sure through police patrols, information given to our residents, our own urban patrols, that there is a visibility given so that people living in the area feel safe and have a sense of security,” the Mayor explained.
The Commander said DeSousa provided a good summary. n