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Business break-and-enters are way up in Victoria and Esquimalt, jumping to 80 in the period from March 15 to May 2 from just 12 over the same period in 2019.

With some affected businesses having shut down since COVID-19 showed up, the pandemic is considered one of the reasons for the break-in spike, Victoria police spokesman Bowen Osoko said.

Calls about thefts from vehicles are also up, to 301 from 238, along with mischief calls, which increased to 262 from 187.

Osoko said police have seen increases in break-and-enters at unoccupied businesses all through the main business districts across Victoria, not just downtown. “We had break-and-enters in Fairfield, in James Bay, in Burnside Gorge.”

As a result, patrols have been increased, and police are working with the Downtown Victoria Business Association and business owners to get them to take steps such as covering windows to keep merchandise from view, Osoko said. “That certainly has started to make a change.”

Police said domestic-dispute calls have risen to 147 from 122 in the same time period last year, but sexual-assault calls dropped to 11 from 20.

And with fewer people driving due to stay-at-home recommendations, impaired driving calls dropped to 30 from 37.

“It is good to see,” Osoko said. “I think we’re surprised it’s not lower.

“Maybe that trend will continue as time goes on.”

Mental-health-related calls, however, rose to 95 from 79.

jwbell@timescolonist.com