159 break-and-enters over 31 days in Mississauga and Brampton, Ontario

There were 159 break-and-enters in Mississauga and Brampton over the last 31 days.

According to Peel Regional Police data, the incidents took place from Jan. 15 to Feb. 15.

Both cities saw their fair share of crimes related to break-ins, with 113 of the incidents happening in Mississauga and the other 46 in Brampton.

The map below shows where these incidents took place:

59 houses, eight apartments, two residential garages or sheds, nine apartments, 10 restaurants, three construction sites, four schools, one pharmacy, 15 stores and three offices; six were simply listed as “other,” and 39 were “unidentified” businesses.

The top common hotspots for these break-ins this month were:

• Dundas Street—four occurrences
• Lakeshore Road—five occurrences
• Queen Street—four occurrences

As of Sunday, with investigations into the majority of these cases, 134 remain ongoing, 17 are considered solved and eight are deemed unsolved.

Here are a few notable break-and-enter stories from the past month:

• 3 youths face 190 charges after break-in spree targets 35 Mississauga businesses
• Man charged in connection with 48 vehicle break-ins in Mississauga
• Home invasions and car thefts ‘out of control’ in Mississauga, residents tell city

Residents are advised to maintain a safe home and prevent break-ins by following these tips provided by police:

• Keep shrubs and hedges around your property maintained to allow for clear lines of sight to all
  accessible windows and doors.
• Ensure garage and screen doors are locked, even while at home.
• Get to know your neighbours and look out for each other’s properties.
• Consider installing a second locking device for windows and any sliding doors.