New figures show rise in recorded crime

RECORDED crime is up 7% across England and Wales, new figures have shown.

Nationally, violent crime up is 27%, firearms offences are up 4%, homicide is up 11%, knife crime is up 9% and sex offences are up 29%. The Police Federation of England and Wales said officers “are facing ever-increasing workloads against a backdrop of fewer officers and ever-stretched budgets”.

The figures are published quarterly by the Office for National Statistics.

Steve White, Chairman of the PFEW, said: “The statistics show a shocking 27% increase in ‘violence against the person’ offences, 11% increase in homicide, and a 9% rise in offences involving knives or sharp instruments. These are incredibly worrying figures.

“The statistics also only cover a small portion of the work officers do. For example: counter-terrorism, looking for missing persons, preventing child sexual exploitation and monitoring sex offenders are just four areas of work that the crime statistic don’t cover, but are of vital importance to the public we serve.

“There are some worrying increases here and we know that issues such as cybercrime are vastly under reported. While police officers work tirelessly, and will always do their best to protect and serve the public, cuts do have consequences.”

Speaking of the 7% increase in recorded crime., the ONS said: “Most of this rise is thought to be owing to improved crime recording by the police leading to a greater proportion of reports of crime being recorded in the last year.”