It is a sign of the cost-of-living crisis and police cuts that more robberies were recorded in South Yorkshire over the past year, the Federation has said.<\/p>\n
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 1,952 robbery offences were recorded by South Yorkshire Police in the year to March 2023 \u2013 up 17% from 1,667 the year before.<\/p>\n
South Yorkshire Police Federation Chair Steve Kent said: \u201cI think that is an inevitability during the cost of living crisis, and the resource constraints of the police and the public services.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t have cuts to public service across the board for so long and then a financial crisis, and not expect there to be a consequence of that in terms of crime rising in the county. Shoplifting is going to go through the roof, for example.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll we can continue to do is carry on doing as much as we can and hope that the cost of living crisis eases, and also that the courts give out harsh sentences when required, to be a deterrent.
\n\u201cWe are working at 100%, our officers are tired. This is not just a police effort, this is a society effort. But there\u2019s no doubt there needs to be continued investment in policing as well.\u201d<\/p>\n