Police praised as crime falls
Laura Routledge • Published 27 Oct 2011 19:00
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CRIME in the Thames Valley Police area has dropped in line with the national trend - but at more than double the rate.
Figures released on Thursday last week by the Home Office show there were 16,024 fewer crimes recorded between the 12 months to June this year - down 8.8% against a national decrease of 4% - with the biggest drop in violence, sexual offences, criminal damage, fraud and forgery and burglaries.
The National Crime Statistics found 166,333 crimes were recorded in the Thames Valley in 2010-11, compared with 182,357 during the same period a year earlier, with 220 fewer sexual offences, down 9.5% to 2,096.
Offences of violence against the person also fell by 6,911 to 32,829 - a drop of 17.4% - and the number of
violence offences resulting in injury fell by 3,577 (25.8%) to 10,284.
Domestic burglaries were down 6.4% from 10,068 to 9,424 and the number of non-domestic burglaries, including commercial properties, also fell by 126 (1.1%) to 11,203.
The number of robberies also dropped by 67 to 2,025 - down 3.2%, despite a national rise of 2.5% - with personal robberies falling by 130 (6.6%) - to 1,778 and thefts and interference with vehicles, dropping 4,538 (20.6%) to 17,536. Fraud and forgery also fell by 1,094 to 9,469 - a decrease of 10.4%.
There was a rise in drug offences by 147 (2.1%) to 7,335 in 2010-2011, which bucks the national trend of a 1.5% fall, but officers say this is due to increased police activity and more neighbours reporting suspicions of drug dealing and production in the Thames Valley.
Deputy chief constable Francis Habgood said: "This performance is down to the hard work and commitment of officers and staff, as well as the continuing support from our local communities, who have shown a real dedication to helping with the fight against crime.
"There is no room for complacency, and we will continue to strive to reduce crime even further and make the communities we live and work in safer and more secure places to be."
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