Rosedale is a Toronto neighbourhood and one of Toronto’s oldest suburbs. Many residential homes are located in Rosedale and the neighbourhood has approximately 8,000 residents. The neighbourhood’s boundaries consist of Bloor Street in the south, Yonge Street in the west, Bayview Avenue in the east and CPR Railway tracks in the north. This makes it one of Toronto’s most centrally-located neighbourhoods. It is serviced by Rosedale Station on the Yonge Subway line as well as nearby Summerhill Station.
SafeTech’s Rosedale Crime Report
Rosedale is built among three ravines, which means that many roads are smaller and more winding than typical Toronto roads. This leads to a decrease in vehicle traffic in the neighbourhood. As a result, Rosedale is quite secluded from the rest of Toronto despite its location.
While this means that the neighbourhood is relatively quiet, it also means that the amount of crime against property is relatively high. Our Rosedale Crime Report provides the details.
Rosedale Crime Report: Statistics
The rate of crimes against property per 1,000 living and working in Rosedale is 36.15. The number of break and enters per 1,000 people is 6.697. Most of the crime in Rosedale is theft, vandalism and robberies. These are the kinds of crime that unfortunately affect quiet, well-off residential neighbourhoods. Criminals use the fact that the areas are secluded and calm to scout potential targets and commit crimes in areas where they will not be noticed. Fortunately, many of these crimes can be prevented by effective alarm systems and security cameras.
The good news is that crimes against people are quite low. There are an average of 6.15 crimes against people per 1,000 in Rosedale.
Unfortunately, the recession has made property crime such as breaking and entering and automobile theft more common than ever before. These criminals often strike residential homes, but they also target neighbourhood businesses as well.
In 2009, a Rosedale pharmacy was attacked by an armed criminal. The robber forced the door of the pharmacy open and injured two pharmacists who were working at the location. Armed with a gun, the suspect robbed the pharmacy and fled the area. Nearby schools were placed on lockdown for a brief while as a precaution.
In some cases, criminals scout out homes for several weeks, determining the patterns of those who live there. Then they strike when they know no one will be home. They will even wear disguises and pretend to be construction workers or people from utility companies in order to watch homes unnoticed.
In addition to a high-quality alarm system and monitored security cameras, windows bars and gates can certainly help protect your home. Strong locks such as deadbolts and reinforced doors and window frames are also good ways to prevent break-ins. As always, you have to ensure that you lock all of your windows and doors and set your alarm.
Of course, breaking and entering and robbery are not the only crimes that take place in Rosedale, they are just the most common.
In April 2011, the Toronto Police Financial Crimes Unit and the Emergency Task Force raided a Rosedale home. The authorities took three men and one woman into custody for what they called “crimes of a financial nature.” The four suspects were living in a Rosedale home that was split into several apartments. Police searched all of the apartments in the raid.
It was later revealed that police uncovered one stolen ten-ounce Australian gold bar in the home. The police say that 75 gold bars were stolen in total and only the one had been recovered in the Rosedale home at this time. Those arrested are also being held in connection with a fraudulent bank draft for almost $1.9 million.
That police raid in Rosedale shows that there is no way you can trust your neighbours at all times. It also highlights the fact that many people do not even know who the people living near them are or what they may be involved in. Just because you feel as though you are living in a safe neighbourhood, you can never be too cautious.
In addition to equipping your home with the latest security technology (including alarm systems, security cameras, window and door bars and gates, motion detectors and strong locks) you should also be aware of your surroundings. If someone looks like they are scouting your property, take note. If you feel as though something strange is taking place in your neighbourhood, contact police or a security company for assistance. Our Rosedale Crime Report is part of our series of Toronto Crime Reports.
