Covid and cops help to keep crime down

There was a time when a 2,000% increase in reports of a particular crime would send our community into meltdown.

Fortunately, the whopping rise in antisocial behaviour (ASB) reported in the Coalfield area of Sunderland is more a quirk of Covid than a cause for panic.

As we reveal today, the figures have been explained and greeted with a measured response from the people policing the area. All reports of people suspected of breaking lockdown rules has been recorded as a report of ASB.

That’s not to say they are not being treated any less seriously, antisocial behaviour is a long time bugbear of the local community, but officers are quite rightly treading carefully.

“Any Covid breach now goes into ASB, so I think we’re sitting at currently 2,000% up,” said Inspector Nick Gjorven.

“It’s difficult to actually wade through that to get any discernible evidence from it, although my cops on the ground tend to realise what’s real and what’s not.”

As we report today, Covid and cops are being credited with a steep fall in crime across that community.

Overall, the number of crimes have fallen by almost a tenth compared to the same period last year, according to police figures, with Insp Gjorven highlighting the drop in thefts, which he attributed to a crackdown on scrap metal vans and covert patrols.

As we come out of lockdown, the community will trust police can continue to help keep those figures at their welcome low.