MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Break-ins at Moose Jaw businesses jumped 50 per cent and residential break-ins rose nearly 36 per cent through September, even as police calls and crimes against people declined overall.
Police recorded 97 breaking-and-entering offences during the first nine months of 2026, up from 79 a year earlier, according to the Moose Jaw Police Service’s latest statistical report, prepared for the Board of Police Commissioners’ Oct. 21 meeting.
The 22.8 per cent increase continues a trend identified in the service’s July figures. However, break-ins remained well below the 163 recorded during the same nine-month period in 2024.
Break-ins at businesses rise 50 per cent
Police recorded 36 business break-ins through September, up from 24 during the same period in 2025. Residential break-ins increased from 39 to 53, a rise of 35.9 per cent.
Together, homes and businesses accounted for 89 of the city’s 97 reported break-ins. Offences classified under other premises fell by half, from 16 to eight, partially offsetting those increases.
September brought a sharper year-over-year increase, with 20 break-ins compared with 11 a year earlier — a jump of 81.8 per cent.
Business break-ins rose from three to eight during the month, while offences at other premises increased from one to six. Residential break-ins edged down from seven to six, even as the nine-month total remained higher.
Despite the year-over-year increases, business and residential break-ins remained below their respective nine-month totals in 2024, when police recorded 45 at businesses and 61 at homes.
Asked whether colder weather or the targeting of particular homes could explain the increase, Deputy Chief Rick Johns said environmental conditions and the actions of a small number of offenders can influence break-in activity.
“Speaking in general terms, you will see break and enters as a result of environmental factors,” Johns said. “You will also see them as the result of one or two actors … I don’t think residences are being targeted … it’s more so a crime of opportunity.”
The figures cover reported offences across Moose Jaw. The separate downtown analysis previously presented to commissioners and city council examined calls for service within a four-block radius of Main Street North and Hochelaga Street, including incidents that were not criminal offences. The two reports measure different aspects of police activity and cover different areas and reporting periods.
Police handle fewer calls as some assault categories rise
Police responded to 15,107 calls for service during the first nine months of 2026, down five per cent from 15,897 a year earlier — a decrease of 790 calls. September’s total also declined, from 1,870 to 1,771.
Crimes against the person fell 7.5 per cent, from 424 to 392, although the overall assault count edged up from 255 to 257.
Within that total, sexual assaults declined 23.3 per cent, from 43 to 33, while common assaults fell 12.5 per cent, from 160 to 140.
Other assault categories moved in the opposite direction. Assaults involving a weapon or causing bodily harm increased 27.5 per cent, from 40 to 51. Assaults against police rose from eight to 28, a 250-per-cent increase, with three recorded in September.
Several property offence categories declined despite the increase in break-ins. Thefts under $5,000 fell 15.5 per cent, from 528 to 446, while motor vehicle thefts decreased 12.5 per cent, from 40 to 35.
Impaired driving offences increased 41.3 per cent, from 46 to 65. Police also recorded 597 failures to comply with court orders, up 16.1 per cent from 514 a year earlier.
Police address recent stabbings and school-zone enforcement
Recent violence included two knife assaults on Oct. 15: one near Main Street North and River Street West, and another in the 1000 block of Stadacona Street East that led to a tactical team deployment and arrest.
Johns said the recent stabbings arose from altercations and posed no danger to the general public.
“They were separate incidents,” Johns said.
These incidents occurred in October and are not reflected in the police statistics presented in the meeting documents, which cover the period ending Sept. 30.
The September traffic enforcement report listed 39 charges in the speeding and aggressive-driving category.
Police suggested back-to-school enforcement could account for some of those charges, but emphasized that the individual tickets had not been reviewed to confirm a connection.
Officers make a targeted effort to monitor school-zone traffic when students return, police said. They also move a traffic trailer between locations to remind motorists to slow down.
With three-quarters of the year complete, the police service had spent $12.43 million, or 71.1 per cent of its $17.49-million annual expenditure budget, according to the September financial report. Labour accounted for $8.07 million and employee benefits for another $1.72 million, together making up nearly four-fifths of spending.
Under its usual monthly schedule, the board’s next regular meeting would fall on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
