Grange Park is a downtown Toronto neighbourhood. Its boundaries include College Street in the north, Queen Street in the south, Spadina Avenue in the west and University Avenue in the east. The neighbourhood is primarily a residential one with many single family homes. Many students of the nearby Ontario College of Art and Design live in the Grange Park neighbourhood. There are also a number of commercial businesses in the area. Some Chinatown businesses extend into the Grange Park neighbourhood as well. The Art Gallery of Ontario is also located in Grange Park. There are three subway stations in the neighbourhood: Queen’s Park Station, St. Patrick Station and Osgoode Station. In the area bordered by College Street, Dundas Street, Spadina Avenue and University Avenue, there is an average of 5.84 crimes against people per 1000 people living and working in the area. There is an average of 24.22 crimes against property per 1000. In the area bordered by Dundas Street, Queen Street, Spadina Avenue and University Avenue, there is an average of 7.23 crimes against people and 31.03 crime against property per 1000 living and working in the region. In September 2009, Toronto Police received a series of complaints about a man peering into windows in the Grange Park neighbourhood. From the Toronto Star:
Police are looking for a man in connection to a series of complaints of a peeping Tom in the Grange Park area. Police believe a single suspect is behind incidents involving a prowler lurking outside windows on ground and upper floors, sometimes using ladders left outside or neighbouring buildings such as garages to peek inside homes on Henry St. near Dundas St. W. and Beverley St.
Often criminals will stake out a house in advance before committing crimes. It is important that you report any suspicious behaviour to the authorities as soon as you notice it. Installing motion-activated lighting around your property and having lights installed above windows and doors will deter criminals from approaching your home and make it easier for you to spot them if they do. In May 2011 a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted after entering a cab in Grange Park. From CityTV Toronto:
The alleged incident happened around midnight. Authorities said a woman got into an “unknown” taxi in the Dundas and Spadina area and was sexually assaulted in the Bernard and Brunswick Avenues area.
In September 2006 a man was stabbed in the Spadina and Dundas area. Also from CityTV:
A young man was seriously wounded Saturday night in a stabbing at Spadina and Dundas. The 20-year-old victim was rushed to St. Mike’s around 6pm and is expected to survive. The attack happened outside a bank and police haven’t been able to talk to the victim yet
When you are using a bank machine or leaving a bank, pay special attention to those around you and do not carry large amounts of cash if you can avoid doing so. In January 2009 a man was shot inside Osgoode Subway station. From the Toronto Star:
Subway service has resumed along the University-Spadina line, but trains are bypassing Osgoode station as police continue to investigate the shooting of a 19-year-old man earlier today… Just before 11 a.m., a fight broke out between a group of people who were exiting the subway. At least three shots were fired on the central platform and police say the fight continued to the mezzanine level before the victim collapsed. When police arrived, they found the 19-year-old man suffering from two gunshot wounds, one to his stomach and one to his thigh. Ferguson said one witness, a woman, stayed with the victim after he was shot.
Police used video surveillance footage to identify the shooter, according to Canoe.ca:
Surveillance footage shared with the media showed the alleged gunman walking calmly out of the subway station clad in a Blue Jays hat, with his hand in a pocket of his dark, fur-trimmed parka.
Security cameras are vital tools that can be used by police officers in a number of ways. The footage is often one of the first thing police ask for when they arrive at a crime scene. In addition to using the footage to determine what has occurred and who was involved, the evidence can be used in trial as well. For more information on how security cameras can protect you, please visit our security cameras page.