Crime

The decline in reported crimes is a function of less reporting, not less crime.

Americans think crime is on the rise, but the media keep telling them they’re wrong. A Gallup survey last year found that 92% of Republicans and 58% of Democrats thought crime was increasing. A February Rasmussen Reports survey found that 61% of likely voters say violent crime in the U.S. is getting worse, while only 13% think it’s getting better. Journalists purport to refute this by citing official crime statistics showing a downward trend.

Americans aren’t mistaken. News reports fail to take into account that many victims aren’t reporting crimes to the police, especially since the pandemic.

Toronto police have announced an updated list of Canada’s Top 25 Most Wanted—a list that comes with $1 million in combined rewards for tips leading to the arrests of the fugitives.

The Toronto Police Service has teamed up with Crime Stoppers, and the BOLO Program—which stands for Be On the Look Out—to track down five suspects wanted for murder in Canada’s largest city. And Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said he is hopeful the “sizeable” rewards of up to $100,000 will “grab the attention of the public” and bring in new information on the fugitives’ whereabouts.

As many as 4 whites on the BOLO 25!

Toronto’s police chief has asked the Ontario Provincial Police to conduct an independent review after a Superior Court judge’s comments during the trial of Umar Zameer.

A statement from the Office of the Chief says Myron Demkiw on Monday asked for a review into officer testimony, conduct, procedures, practices and training, which he said police governance “requires” when the courts raise concerns over police conduct. Demkiw has also ordered a full internal review of all aspects of plainclothes policing, including equipment and procedures for officer and public safety.

Here are a few normal, boilerplate things that a police chief might say after a man is found not guilty by a jury of his peers.

“We respect the judicial process and accept the decision reached by the jury.”

“We have the utmost confidence in the court and accept the decision based on the evidence presented.”

The audacious film asks what it means to be civilized in cities where civilization itself is crumbling.

The movie Death Wish, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary, opens with a brief sequence establishing that New York architect Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) and his wife, Joanna (Hope Lange), although well into middle age, are still very much in love with each other. They’re vacationing on an idyllic beach in Hawaii, and when she steps out of the surf and stretches out beside him on the sand, they kiss. She asks if they should go back to the hotel, obviously to take their intimacy to a higher level. He asks, “Why not here?” She replies: “We’re too civilized.”

Police say a large quantity — but not all — of the 400 kilograms of nearly pure bullion bars stolen in the Toronto airport gold heist was melted and transformed in a workshop in the basement of a local jewelry store.

Smelting equipment used to turn molten gold into long, thin strips, and another machine that can twist and shape metal into bracelets were found by police inside the basement forge that included an oxy-acetylene torch, crucibles, metal tongs, and moulds.

One of the accused in the Norval Morrisseau art fraud ring case has reached a resolution with his community.

Benjamin Morrisseau, Norval’s nephew, appeared in court in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Thursday on forgery charges. After meeting with elders, an agreement was reached that will see him undertake reparation measures, which can be part of the restorative justice process.

“Restorative justice principles can include a focus on relationships, repairing harm, taking responsibility, and taking personal and family history into account,” according to the Ontario Crown Prosecution Manual.

I enjoy the work, pity the fraud became a cottage industry.

It wasn’t long after the murder trial began into the hit-and-run death of Toronto Police Det. Const. Jeff Northrup that many started asking the same question.

Why in the world is Umar Zameer on trial for first-degree murder?

Something was off starting with his quick release after his arrest.

The journalist was perplexed.

Why, he wanted to know, were the guys accused of pulling off the brazen $20 million gold heist at Pearson International Airport out on bail?

They were released because they failed to meet diversity goals.