Spike in car thefts, other crime put more cops on patrol in this Mississauga community

Police have stepped up patrols in an affluent area of south Mississauga in response to a recent increase in car thefts, home invasions and other crimes.

Peel Regional Police senior officers and other members of the force met on Dec. 10 with several hundred Lorne Park area residents to address their concerns related to a growing number of auto thefts, break-and-enters and home invasions.

A police spokesperson confirmed in an email to INsauga.com that “Lorne Park has seen a recent increase in criminal activity.”

To address the concerns, police say they have deployed officers from both a Community Incident Response Team and the Criminal Investigation Bureau to “actively patrol the area.”

Having those officers target the recent uptick in crime also alleviates the workload of front-line officers, police added.

Peel police Deputy Chief Marc Andrews, Staff Supt. Hubert Hiltz, Supt. Josh Colley and other members of the force attended a Dec. 10 meeting hosted by the new Lorne Park Neighbourhood Safety Group, formed to address crime concerns of area residents.

Mississauga Ward 2 Coun. Alvin Tedjo also attended the meeting, which attracted more than 400 residents and was held at St. Bride Anglican Church.

“The meeting was an opportunity to listen to the community’s concerns about increased criminal activity in Lorne Park including home invasions, break-and-enters, vehicle theft, and to also share crime prevention information,” the Peel police spokesperson told INsauga.com.

Police added that about three per cent of reported stolen vehicles in Mississauga are taken by thieves in the Lorne Park area.

An area resident told INsauga.com in an email “we have been hit with a significant increase in break-ins and auto thefts” and that’s what led to the formation of the group.

Members of the fledgling residents’ group said they also shared their concerns “with all three levels of government” prior to the public meeting with police.

They added they were disappointed with the response from officials with senior levels of government who were at the session.

The group said in an online post it was seeking “meaningful short-term and long-term solutions in tackling crime. During the meeting, no such solutions were shared while the federal and provincial governments traded blame.

“The group continues to be frustrated, disappointed and outraged by the lack of accountability and coordination between the three levels of government.”

Among other measures, the group wants:

• the federal government to introduce tougher bail laws “to keep violent criminals out of our neighborhoods” and deportation laws for violent crime for non-citizen criminals
• the federal government to lead a task force with RCMP, local police and other levels of government “to root out armed robberies in our cities” and crime syndicates operating in multiple provinces
• the province to staff judges and have enough capacity “to put criminals in jails and prioritize residents’ safety over criminals’ comfort”
• police to increase patrols and provide faster response time to 911 calls

Map shows Lorne Park area of south Mississauga. Police say there has been a recent increase in crime in the area.