Sage Creek was supposed to be a safe community, insulated from the crime that plagues a lot of Winnipeg neighbourhoods, but residents say a recent spate of break-ins, thefts and vandalism has provoked the need for a neighbourhood watch group.
“It’s frustrating,” Tammy Gagnon said, adding people are fed up.
After hearing about a spike in property crime in Sage Creek through a community Facebook group, Tammy and Marc Gagnon checked their home security footage and saw a person check their vehicle door handles in the middle of the night on Friday.
Footage showed the would-be thief — wearing a hat, a mask, a dark sweater with an oversized light shirt poking out and dark pants – jiggle the car handles. After realizing it was locked, the suspect continued down the street to check other parked cars.
Home security footage shows a hooded suspect trying door handles on several vehicles. (Submitted by Marc and Tammy Gagnon)
Over the last week a Facebook group titled “Sage Creek Winnipeg Residents Chat Page” has featured accounts about stolen property and photos of smashed windows in the neighbourhood. Posters say thieves have swiped lawn mowers and broken in to garages.
The Gagnons worry their home will be next.
“It’s concerning a bit; it’s kind of like people invading your privacy,” Marc said.
Crime is unusual for the growing subdivision, said the couple, who have lived in Sage Creek for two years.
The Winnipeg police 2023 statistical report shows there were 27 break-and-enters in Sage Creek compared with 12 in 2022. Reported motor vehicle thefts stood at 11 in 2023, up from 9 in 2022.
Pranay Kamboj has never had concerns with crime in the two years he has lived with his family on Siskin Bay until recently.
“He’s not afraid of anything.”–Pranay Kamboj
“I’m so surprised,” he said Tuesday.
Security footage from Kamboj’s home reviewed by the Free Press shows a hooded person trying the doors to his Nissan Altima early Sunday.
“He’s not afraid of anything,” Kamboj said about the would-be thief.
He typically leaves his car and garage unlocked, but after the recent occurrences, he’s not just locking up — he’s installing security cameras, too.
Kamboj said neighbours have thought about staying up late in the hopes of confronting the trespasser, but he’d prefer police step up patrols.
Rural patrols
Neighbourhood watch groups have exploded in rural Manitoba in the last two years, says the organizer of the Manitoba Citizens on Patrol Program.
Administrator Detlef Hindemith says of the 40 groups registered with the organization, only four are Winnipeg.
Neighbourhood watch groups have exploded in rural Manitoba in the last two years, says the organizer of the Manitoba Citizens on Patrol Program.
Administrator Detlef Hindemith says of the 40 groups registered with the organization, only four are Winnipeg.
“Crime has been on the increase and communities have been very anxious to help curb crime and it’s been well-received,” Hindemith said, adding crime rates in rural areas spiked during the pandemic.
RCMP statistics show reported property crimes stood at 2,965 instances in 2023, up from 2,501 instances in 2022.
Residents clad in high-visibility vests patrol areas in pairs of two on foot or in cars to look for anything out of the ordinary. Patrols can report activity to police or RCMP who may step up supervision of areas of interest, but they don’t try to interfere with crimes in progress.
“Law enforcement are stretched thin and they do what they can but they can only cover so much territory,” Hindemith said, adding the group’s data shows participants patrolled a collective 13,000 hours across 87,000 kilometres last year.
Hindemith says the patrols create a “visible deterrent to crime.”
“Criminals do not want to be seen doing criminal activity. Having our members out there seeing, watching — it makes a difference.”
Paula Havixbeck, a former city councillor and mayoral candidate, formed an online community watch group in River Heights four years ago amid an increase in property crime and theft. The group encourages residents to be vigilant and report suspicious activity to police. It works with officers to pinpoint problematic areas in need of more supervision.
“Otherwise police say, ‘there’s no issue if no one reports it,’” Havixbeck said Tuesday. “We’ve had some great success at helping relocate people and property. I would like to think it’s been a success.”
In a world that is increasingly digital, the group creates strength in numbers and prompts residents to watch out for their neighbours, Havixbeck said.
“We used to have neighbourhood watch programs, now we have Facebook groups,” she said. “There’s a greater sense of community this way.”
The Gagnons, who support a watch group, say Sage Creek residents are keeping each other informed about incidents over Facebook.
Police can only do so much, Marc Gagnon remarked; even if someone was caught, he doesn’t have confidence the justice system will respond accordingly.
NIC ADAM / FREE PRESS
Sage Creek residents Marc (left) and Tammy Gagnon say Sage Creek residents are keeping each other informed about incidents over Facebook.
On Tuesday, Winnipeg police wouldn’t comment about community watch groups.
In the Maples, 204 Neighbourhood Watch not only keeps an eye out for suspicious activity, but its organizer helps other neighbourhoods establish their own committee.
Leila Castro formed the grassroots patrol seven years ago when a group of machete-wielding thieves tried to rob a resident. The response was overwhelming. The group has expanded to provide psychological care to people who have been victimized by crime or struggle with addictions.
“We believe that if what we started is emulated by other groups in the city who think the same about prioritizing safety in their neighbourhood, the impact will be there,” Castro said.
Groups receive advice on how best to patrol their neighbourhoods, along with flashlights, gloves, vests and first-aid and safety kits.
Castro said as long as neighbourhood watch groups persevere, authorities will need to eventually act.
“Other than (these groups) having vigilance and connecting and helping each other… the government will need to take this seriously,” she said.
nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca
jordan.snobelen@freepress.mb.ca
Jordan Snobelen
Reporter
Jordan Snobelen arrived in his adopted city of Winnipeg and joined the Free Press’s city desk as a general assignment reporter in 2024.
Nicole Buffie
Multimedia producer
Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the Free Press city desk.
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