Latest crime figures show the impacts of social restrictions
The latest crime statistics for Sussex show the striking impact of the first seven months of the pandemic.
Crime is often seen as a reflection of society and, for much of the 12 months between September 2019 and September 2020, Sussex was under some form of social restriction.
The county has significantly lower crime rates than the national average.
According to the Office for National Statistics, based on Home Office figures, Sussex reported 70 crimes per 1,000 people over that time period.
The figure for England was 82.8 per 1,000, although both of these figures do not include fraud cases, which have seen a significant increase during the pandemic.
That being said, crime is falling faster in the country at large than in Sussex.
Crime dropped in England by six per cent up to September, 2020, whereas it only dipped by two per cent in Sussex.
That decline in our county was driven by huge reductions in some crimes, particularly those that require the physical interaction that has been curtailed by the pandemic.
Burglary fell by 16 per cent, theft from the person by 31 per cent and bicycle theft by 17.
Shoplifting fell by seven per cent – not surprising considering shops were closed for around three months of lockdown.
Vehicle offences also fell by 31 per cent, as people’s cars remained predominantly at their homes.
As these figures only show up to September, it is likely the trends will have become more pronounced by now as the impact of the November and current lockdowns are felt. Those trends also brought some concerning increases in crime.
The pandemic has been credited with creating a ‘cyber paradise’ for criminals, who are becoming more techsavvy and have an abundance of spare time on their hands.
Reports of stalking and harassment rose by 28 per cent up to September, 2020, and fraud rose by eight per cent – although that figure is expected to be higher at this point after a recent surge.
The number of drug offences also increased by 16 per cent.