Big rise in burglaries and other crimes recorded in Peterborough

Burglaries of homes in Peterborough have increased by more than a third in just 12 months, according to the latest police recorded crime figures.
Police in PeterboroughPolice in Peterborough
Police in Peterborough

There were 917 household break-ins during the 12 months to the end of September last year, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

That is up by 38.9 per cent on the previous year, when 660 incidents were recorded by police.

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Overall police recorded crime in Peterborough has increased over the last 12 months.

During that period 22,570 crimes were recorded, up by 23 per cent on the previous period.

That means that more than one in every ten residents experienced a crime during that period, one of the highest rates in England and Wales.

Gun and knife possession offences have risen by 72 to 227 incidents.

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In Peterborough theft, one of the most high volume crimes, has increased by 23 per cent. Drugs related offences rose by 8.5 per cent.

Criminal damage, which includes arson and vandalising cars and houses, has gone up, from 2,623 incidents in 2015 and 2016, to 3,069 in the latest figures.

While violence with injury, which includes assault, GBH and wounding, has risen, this could just be due to improved police recording as opposed to an increase in incidents.

Similarly sexual crime statistics are hard to judge as many more victims are now coming forward.

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In Peterborough there were 582 incidents recorded from October 2016 to September 2017, a 28 per cent rise on the previous 12 months, when 454 crimes were reported.

The report said that given the factors, which include victims of historical sexual abuse coming forward to report old crimes, it is hard to reliably interpret these figures.

Bill Skelly, the national policing lead for crime recording and statistics, said: “Today’s police officers are dealing with more complex crime, more safeguarding and protecting vulnerable people and an unprecedented terror threat, as well as tackling some of the genuine rises in knife and gun crime, robbery, burglary and vehicle-related crimes which turn the trend on many years of reductions.

“Our response involves good proactive policing in communities, developing specialist capabilities for more complex crime and working with government and our other partners to find effective ways of intervening early to prevent crime and harm.”

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Policing Minister Nick Hurd said the ONS “is clear that overall traditional crime is continuing to fall, and is now down by almost 40% since 2010.”

But he acknowledged that “some of the increase in police-recorded violent offences is genuine.”

Mr Hurd said the government is taking “urgent action”, pointing to tough new laws to crack down on acid attacks and knife crime and a new strategy to tackle serious violence.

Labour accused the Tories of “failing in a basic duty to protect the public”.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: “These figures are truly shocking and should put an end to government complacency on crime.”