Crime levels fell by nearly 20% during lockdown

STALKING AND HARASSMENT LEVELS WENT UP BY 40%

CRIME across Staffordshire dropped during the national lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, the latest figures have revealed.

A total of 16,605 crimes were recorded by Staffordshire Police between April and June this year, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics.

This figure was down by 19 per cent when compared to the same quarter in 2019.

It is not possible to compare the situation to right before the lockdown as the figures are unavailable for January to March.

The yearly decrease includes a 29 per cent fall in the number of reports of violence that caused injury, although there was no fall in the number of violent incidents without injury.

Staffordshire also saw the number of serious crimes where a knife was involved fall during lockdown.

There were 131 such crimes, which include homicide, attempted murder, threats to kill, assaults, robbery, and rape and sexual assault, in April to June 2020, compared to 160 in April to June last year.

Overall, reports of sexual offences in Staffordshire were down 22 per cent compared to last year, while robberies were down 47 per cent.

However, lockdown did not see a drop in the number of incidents of stalking and harassment - they were up 40 per cent compared to April to June 2019, with 3,006 incidents reported.

Thefts were down, including a 61 per cent drop in shoplifting, although many stores were closed, while drug crimes were up 12 per cent.

Across England and Wales, the total police recorded crime decreased by four per cent to approximately 5.8 million offences in the year ending June 2020. Based on just April to June figures, numbers were down 20 per cent year-on-year.

Billy Gazard, of the Office for National Statistics Centre for Crime and Justice, said: “Decreases in crime levels during the year ending June 2020 were mainly driven by changes in society after coronavirus lockdown restrictions were put in place.

“The most substantial reductions were seen in theft and robbery offences during the April to June quarter.

“There are indications that crime levels in June were moving back towards pre-lockdown levels.

“Police recording of drug offences increased sharply throughout the April to June period, reflecting proactive police activity as overall crime levels reduced. Anti-social behaviour incidents also increased.

“These include reported breaches of lockdown restrictions to the police.”

More up-to-date figures from the National Police Chiefs’ Council for the four weeks to September 27 found crime was still six per cent lower than the same period in 2019.

Serious violent crime was down 10 per cent, while shoplifting was down 26 per cent, vehicle crime was down 19 per cent and residential burglary was down 25 per cent on the same period in 2019.

Assaults on emergency service workers continue to show a concerning 27 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Within this, assaults on police officers both with and without injury have increased by 20 per cent.

Reported rape saw a two per cent rise, and recorded domestic abuse incidents increased by three per cent over the snapshot period compared to the same period in 2019.

National Police Chiefs’ Council chairman Martin Hewitt said: “Although overall crime is lower than this time last year, demand on the police remains significant.

“As well as day-to-day policing, to prevent and tackle crime and keep communities safe, we are working alongside our partners both locally and nationally in tackling this pandemic and limiting the spread of the virus.

“Officers and staff are incredibly busy, working in challenging circumstances, and I am grateful for their continued hard work.”