Vancouver police take safety message to Downtown Eastside seniors​on April 5, 2025 at 12:51 am

Make sure to report it if you are a victim of crime.

That was the message from Vancouver police to seniors during a recent safety seminar.

So far this year, there have been 39 reported assaults against seniors.

Last year there were 238. But police say many crimes go unreported.

“Even if something feels like nothing, if it made you feel unsafe or there was a crime that you witnessed, even if you weren’t a part of it, always report it to the police so we know and we have that stat, that way we can send more officers to the area if it’s needed,” said Const. Jade Spencer-Tam with Vancouver Police Department’s Diversity Community and Indigenous Relations Section.

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Growing fear for seniors’ safety in Downtown Eastside

Ninety-eight-year-old Kay Cheung was recently attacked while walking in Chinatown.

“She passed by an alley, and it’s a bad alley, and she was attacked by a cane or a stick,” her interpreter Vanice Wang told Global News.

Other seniors in the area are also scared.

Jenny Thi said she won’t go out at night.

“I don’t go and walk out unless I absolutely have to,” said Georgette Gibson.

During the seminar at Whole Way House, seniors were encouraged to be aware of their surroundings, report any incidents, keep valuables hidden, and be wary of distraction thefts.

Spencer-Tam also advised them “not to wear jewelry, not to wear their most expensive things, not to carry too much cash on them, just things that are a little bit more flashy and make them a target.”