There were just under 18,000 police reported crimes in Regina in 2020. That is 27 percent less than 2019 numbers and 11 percent fewer from ten years earlier.

The numbers, which are being released at a Board of Police Commissioners meeting this afternoon, show crimes against property declined 35 percent from a year ago with other Criminal Code offences falling by 19 percent.

There was a 43 percent decrease in vehicle theft, a 42 percent decrease in theft, a 23 percent decrease in break and enters and a six percent decrease in assaults.

Arson was a problem as there were 245 of them in 2020 compared to 191 in 2019. This is being attributed to to a small number of individuals committing multiple acts of arson.