Identifying Crime in Your Community

• Always report a crime to police when it occurs
• Talk to your neighbours about crime and suspicious activity in your area
• Keep the doors to your house and car locked, even if you are home

Signs that a house in your area is making or dealing drugs:

• Windows covered up, condensation on glass, neglected lawns and gardens
• Bright lights escaping covered windows, basement lights on all day
• Suspicious vehicles arriving and departing during the night
• Odd smells coming from the house
• Enhanced security, including video cameras and bars on windows
• Improved vents on the roof, windows or other spots
• Snow melting on or near the house in the winter
• Occupants always enter through the garage to hide their identity
• Garbage containing soil, pots, fertilizer, PVC pipes, chemical containers, and wiring
• Lots of people coming and going at all hours and only staying for a short time

Signs of street-level drug dealing:

• Vehicles parked together in odd places and/or times
• Vehicles idling in empty parking lots for an extended period of time
• People coming to the house at all times or loitering in the area
• People meeting up on the street for very short periods of time

If you suspect that drug activity is taking place around your neighbourhood, call the non-emergency phone number at the top of the screen.

For information on domestic violence, view our domestic violence page or contact the Women's Community House

If you are worried about your safety call 9-1-1 now and police officers will be sent to help you.

Signs someone you know is becoming radicalized:

• Withdrawn from family and friends
• Withdrawn from regular hobbies and activities
• Angry and intolerant towards others who do not share their new beliefs
• Believe they have found the true path to religious enlightenment
• Turn their back on their old life
• Spend most of their waking hours surfing jihadi and anti-government/anti-Western websites

Signs of potential high-risk travellers in your community:

• Legal or illegal efforts to obtain a passport and getting money for travel
• Plans to travel to countries in conflict, like Syria, Iraq, Somalia or Chechnya
• Travelling with little to no luggage or plans to return
• Tying up loose ends or selling off possessions

You can read more about what the Canadian Government is doing to combat terrorism

Signs of online fraud:

• Suspicious emails requesting personal information
• Emails requesting the transfer of funds or banking information
• Emails requesting you to click a link to log in
• Online deals that seem too good to be true
• Telemarketers who want a fee up front

Signs of telephone fraud:

• Unsolicited calls from someone claiming to be with a government agency
• The person requests that you take immediate action and will use high-pressure tactics to gain your compliance
• This immediate action may be transferring them money, usually through a money transfer company such as Western Union, providing personal banking information or signing up for a vacation or investment scheme

Signs that someone may be attempting to steal your identity:

• People prying through household garbage cans or recycling bins
• Suspicious people lingering around ATM machines
• Somebody other than an employer or government agency requesting your personal information

For more detailed information, check out our fraud and identity theft page and visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

A hate crime occurs when a criminal offence is committed and it is motivated by a person's disdain, bias or prejudice toward someone's:

• Race, colour or national or ethnic origin
• Mental or physical disability
• Age, gender or sexual orientation
• Language

Common hate crimes committed in your community may include: 

• Physical assault
• Vandalism or damage caused to property
• Threats to cause death or bodily harm

You can view our Hate crimes page for more information.

If you believe that a person is being used for trafficking:

• Call 9-1-1 and the police will attend to provide help
• Do not report your suspicions to staff members if you are at a hotel

No one can force you to do anything you do not want to. If you do not feel like you can get out, call 911 and the police will help you get back to your family.

If you are unsure what to do, contact the Kids Help Phone

For more information about human trafficking contact the Chrysalis Anti Human Trafficking Network

Make your child aware of how predators can trap them on the Internet:

• Predators use flattery to make you like them
• Predators use threats to scare teens into doing things they don't want to, like sending pictures over the internet
• Adult offenders will share sexual material to make them believe its normal
• Predators will pretend to be someone their age

Take these steps to protect your child:

• Talk with your kids about risks on the Internet and increase your involvement
• Check your child's Internet activity and limit your teen's use of his/her electronics in private
• Contact police if you suspect that your child has had concerning contact with someone online

Cybertip.ca has some excellent resources to help parents teach their children about internet safety.

Signs of shoplifting at stores in your community:

• People wearing baggy clothing or unseasonably warm clothing while shopping
• The presence of knapsacks or bags with customers that could carry items out
• The attendance of numerous customers at once who request assistance from staff

Indicators of residential break and enters in your community:

• Doors and windows to homes that have been left open or may have been forced open 
• Individuals or groups of people knocking on doors to check if homeowners are away
• Unfamiliar vehicles parked outside neighbours homes while they are away

Signs of criminals in your neighbourhood:

• People you do not recognize lingering around your neighbourhood
• People walking up and down driveways during the day or at night
• People you do not know walking into your neighbour's back yard

Take these precautions to protect yourself and your valuables from criminals:

• Lock it or lose it - lock your parked car in the driveway, parking lots and even inside your garage
• Do not stand idle - do not leave your car to warm up with the keys in the ignition in your driveway while you wait inside your house

You can visit our home safety page for ways to protect your home from a break and enter.

Take these steps to protect yourself against street-level robberies:

• Be aware of your surroundings and conceal valuables like jewellery or cellphones while in public
• Keep zippers closed and pockets buttoned
• Be wary of strangers trying to get close to you - protect your personal space
• Keep your smartphones out of sight and easily accessible
• Stay in well-lit areas at night, do not take short cuts through dark alleys, between buildings, or out of public sight

If you are the victim of a robbery:

• Cooperate with the attacker - it is not worth getting hurt to protect your personal belongings
• Remember everything you can about the offender (gender, hair and skin colour, clothing description - pick a few things that really stand out) and the last direction they were heading
• Get to the closest safe location and call 9-1-1