Swansea is a Toronto neighbourhood that is located west of High Park. It’s boundaries are Bloor Street in the north, Lake Ontario in the south, High Park in the east and the Humber River in the west. Swansea was once an independent municipality known as the Village of Swansea before being annexed by the City of Toronto in 1967. Swansea is a primarily residential area with a variety of mixed housing types, from single-family homes to semi-detached homes, townhouses, apartment buildings and condominiums. In Swansea, there is an average of 3.4 crimes against people per 1000 people living and working in the neighbourhood. There is 14.22 crimes against property per 1000. This is relatively average crime rate for a Toronto neighbourhood. As Toronto is a very large city, some crime will always take place. Being aware of your surroundings, understanding what you can do to protect yourself and properly utilizing all forms of crime prevention can protect you from becoming a victim. In September 2010, a man was shot in the foot in the Swansea Mews area, near Windermere Avenue and the Queensway. The 23-year-old victim was approached by two men around at 10:45 pm and shot. From CityNews Toronto:
A late-night shooting on Swansea Mews is now an attempted murder investigation. Toronto Police allege that two men approached the victim around 10:45pm on September 28. The 23-year-old was shot in the foot. He was taken to hospital, treated and released. Several shell casings were found near Windermere Avenue and The Queensway.
In August 2010, another shooting took place in the same Swansea Mews area. A teenage boy was shot in the backside on Swansea Mews. The 15-year-old was taken to hospital with his injuries but recovered. Multiple shots were fired during the crime, but no other victims were hit. From 680 News Toronto:
Toronto police are looking for suspects after a teenage boy was shot in the backside in a west-end townhouse complex, Friday night. The shooting began just before 7:30 p.m. on Swansea Mews, near Windermere Avenue, north of the Queensway.
In July 2009, a shooting and a stabbing took place in the area as well. Toronto Police suggested that there was “a strong belief” that the two crimes were related. From the Toronto Star:
A neighbourhood near the Queensway and Windermere Ave. was the scene of two violent attacks late last night. Shots rang out after midnight, and police received a second call for a stabbing in the same area. An 18-year-old man was found at a Petro Canada gas station at the intersection, suffering from a gun wound. A 19-year-old man was found in a nearby housing complex on Swansea Mews, bleeding from a single stab wound in the left arm. Both men were sent to hospital. The shooting victim underwent surgery and remains in hospital today in serious condition. The stabbing victim was released from hospital earlier.
After the two crimes took place, Toronto Police set out to determine if the two were related. This involved “canvassing the area and securing video tape to ascertain what took place.” It is quite common for police to request any available security footage when investigating a crime. Security cameras are a powerful tool when it comes to determining who committed a crime and identifying any possible suspects. Having surveillance cameras installed at your home or business is an excellent way to deter criminals as well. Criminals understand how security cameras assist police and they will not want to risk being caught committing a crime.
