RCMP report there was a marked increase in thefts in Steinbach and area last year. Staff Sergeant Harold Laninga appeared before city council Tuesday evening to talk about his annual report. He says the number of thefts almost doubled from the previous year to 303 incidents. Laninga says warm weather last fall may have been partly to blame as culprits rummaged through cars at night. But he believes an increase in illegal drug use is also a major factor as users steal to pay for their habit.

"We've noticed an influx of methamphetamine in our community. It's a fairly cheap drug, very addictive, a very dangerous drug and is of grave concern to myself and the members of the detachment and is something we need to do something about. That's something we're working at."

Meanwhile, Laninga says the number of impaired drivers was up about 33 per cent last year to 81.

"We continue to have a high prevalence of impaired driving within our community, not always Steinbach citizens, sometimes people within our area. That's obviously a marked concern, that people are not getting the message not to drink and drive."

He also told council the number of false alarms at businesses rose 5% to 420 last year. Laninga says that's a huge waste of police resources and something needs to be done about it.

The Staff Sergeant is also concerned by a 36% increase in accidents in 2014 to 301. He says many motorists are sloppy with their driving habits such as not making a complete stop at stop signs and that's part of the reason.

Laninga notes the Steinbach RCMP detachment will be getting an additional officer April 1st thanks to an increase in provincial funding.