Liberty Village is a Toronto neighbourhood that is located in the west end of the city. The boundaries of this neighbourhood are King Street in the north, the Gardiner Expressway in the south, Dufferin Street in the west and Strachan Avenue in the east. Liberty Village was formerly an industrial area, but recently the neighbourhood has become much more popular and diverse. The Liberty Village neighbourhood has grown very quickly over the last few years and it is now filled with condominiums, houses, office space, commercial space and parks of all shapes and sizes. In the area bordered by King, Dufferin, the Gardiner and Atlantic Avenue, there is an average of 8.09 crimes against people per 1000 people living and working in the area. There is an average of 18 crimes against property per 1000. Note that these statistics include the area slightly west of Dufferin. Also note that crime does not stop at any particular street and thus knowing the average crime rate for the surrounding region is important as well. East of Atlantic Avenue to Strachan Avenue, there is an average of 5.39 crimes against people per 1000 and 23.88 crimes against property per 1000. In October 2011 a police officer was stabbed in the King and Dufferin area. From 680News Toronto:
A police officer is in hospital with non-life threatening injuries after a confrontation with a suspect Saturday evening. Around 8:00 p.m., the officer was stabbed in the face near 200 Dufferin Street and Temple Avenue, in the Dufferin and King area. Police told 680News that one person was shot in the altercation, but they cannot confirm the extent of their injuries. However, Global reported late Saturday evening that the shooting was fatal.
A year earlier, in October 2010, a man was approached by three men in the Liberty Village area. The altercation resulted in the man being stabbed. From CBC News:
Toronto police are searching for three suspects after a stabbing near Liberty Village early Sunday morning. Police said they responded to a call of a stabbing near King Street West and Tyndall Avenue at around 3:35 a.m. Police allege a victim was approached by three men and chased by one man brandishing a knife. The victim was stabbed several times, police said.
In August 2009 a woman was robbed and sexually assaulted by six men near her Liberty Village apartment. From CityNews Toronto:
Police are on the hunt for six suspects after a young woman was robbed and sexually assaulted as she returned home to her Liberty Village apartment. At 3am Tuesday, the 23-year-old was approached by six males in the front lobby of her building near King St. W. and Dufferin St. The accused then forced the victim into a stairwell, robbing and sexually assaulting her before fleeing the scene.
Five teenage boys were arrested about a month later in connection with the assault. According to a separate CityNews story, “Police credit extensive video surveillance in the apartment building with aiding them in making the arrests.” Video surveillance is an incredible tool for catching criminals in the act, identifying them after the fact and prosecuting them for their crimes. Video evidence is very powerful and that is why it is often used by law enforcement officials when they are investigating a case. SafeTech Alarm Systems understands the value of a properly installed, maintained and monitored video surveillance system. Our loss prevention experts can help you keep your property safe and protect you and your family at the same time. Contact us for more information on how security cameras can offer peace of mind.