Fort Frances ends 2023 with a rise in violent crime but a drop in property crime.
According to statistics released by the OPP, violent crime in Fort Frances rose 18.5 per cent over 2022.
This was aided by an increase in assaults, sexual assault and other crimes against people.
There were 31 sexual assaults in 2023 compared to 26 in 2022, a 19.2% increase.
The number of assaults went from 157 in 2022 to 164 in 2023, a 4.5% increase.
Other crimes against people went up 96.2% from 26 in 2022 to 51 in 2023.
There were also three robberies in 2023 compared to none the previous year.
Property crime was down 3.5 per cent.
An increase in fraud and break and enter cases was offset by a decrease in thefts.
There were 43 fraud cases investigated by the OPP in 2023 compared with 29 in 2022, a 48.3% increase.
Incidents of break and enter went from 26 in 2022 to 60 in 2023, an increase of 130.8 per cent.
Theft over cases went from 196 in 2022 to 140 last year, a decrease of 28.6 per cent.
There were also fewer drug cases in 2022.
OPP logged 12 possession cases and nine trafficking incidents, compared with 15 possession and 14 trafficking in 2022.
Police also responded to fewer motor vehicle collisions.
There were 195 collisions in 2023, compared with 247 in 2022, a 21.1% decrease.
The number of people injured in those collisions was up from 13 in 2022 to 20 in 2023, an increase of 53.8 per cent.
