Hyperbole
Rules!

VPD Chief Jim Chu

Politicians, and there is certainly a political aspect to being the Chief Constable of a big city police department, and the lazy corporate lapdogs of the Lamestream Media regularly resort to hyperbole, I guess because it makes anything seem important and is certainly easier than investigation and/or analysis. This afternoon I was momentarily stunned to hear that the recent Stanley Cup Riots in Vancouver are being "....called the largest crime spree in Vancouver history"

At a press conference to announce the recommendation of 163 charges against about thirty perps ranging from 16 to 52 years of age, Chief Chu himself said that:

"It became, by many measures, the largest crime spree in the history of B.C.,"

and

.....the investigation was the largest in the city's history and he expects the massive investigation involving thousands of cellphone and video camera images will result in the most charges of any Canadian investigation.

I kinda consider Robert Pickton's killing spree of unfortunate women of the Downtown Eastside a bit larger and even the investigation, quite likely larger, even if there was little investigation apparently done, even failure to follow up on tips for years, until the massive archeological dig at the Pickton Pig farm was undertaken admittedly outside of Vancouver proper as the victims were only picked up in Vancouver while the real crimes were done in neighboring Port Coquitlam, or was that just Coquitlam?

The recently departed Clifford Olsen, originally from Richmond, was a pretty big and grusome trail of blood also, though he seemed to operate in or on the outskirts of any municipality in the Lower Mainland, until he was captured and stopped.

I didn't attend the recent riots, or the earlier riots after future Canuck Captain Mark Messier led his NY Rangers to victory in Game 7 in Madison Square Garden, in a much more competitive game than the Game 7 lost to the Big Bad Bruins this spring. From my distant perch both riots seemed similar, with the main difference being the earlier riot wasn't conducted with thousands of video cameras and smart phones recording the action for posterity and now, hopefully, evidence in court.

Many have been frustrated with the perceived slowness of this investigation, though it seems like a law enforcement blitzkreig compared to the alacrity with which the mystery of disappearing women from the DTES was pursued. Often Mayor Moonbeam and Chief Chu's lack of haste has been unfavourably compared to the seemingly instant justice dispensed for the recent riots in London, Manchester and other UK cities filled with an underclass, and unemployed youth. Of course with the neo-facist Cameron at the reins, it's a wonder everybody wasn't arrested before committing the crimes at all. Of course in Merry Olde, the upper class can hack royal cell phones and commit other outrages and perhaps be punished with only a job in PR for the Prime Minister himself.

Some Numbers to Chew On!

Analysis by the numbers

49 rioters identified after 125 pictures posted online.
50 forensic analysts from 40 police agencies involved.
Over 100 different formats of video and images submitted.
Over 5,000 hours of video examined and processed.
Over 4,000 hours spent analyzing video and images over 14 days.
Over 15,000 criminal acts and suspected rioters tagged.
Over 30 terabytes of data processed (equivalent to 7,500 DVDs or 45,000 CDs)

Investigators have identified more than 15,000 criminal acts on the videos and between 500 and 700 people may be charged by the time the investigations are concluded.../snip

Charges by the numbers

163 charges recommended.
35 breaking and entering charges.
41 mischief charges.
60 participating in a riot charges.
50 men and 10 women suspects.
One individual facing 10 charges.
Youngest male is 16 years.
Oldest male is 52 years.
Youngest female is 17 years.
Oldest female is 22 years.
Average age is 21 years.