Crime down by 11% in Cumbria

Crime in Cumbria has fallen by 11% the latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics show. 

The figures from April 2012 to the end of March 2013 detail that there was a 9% reduction in violence against the person, a 4% reduction in domestic burglaries and a 16% drop in criminal damage.

Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes said “It is pleasing that the latest set of crime figures show that crime is again down in the county. Cumbria had the third lowest number of crimes in England and Wales proving Cumbria really is a safe place to live, work and visit.

“Overall, there has been an 11% drop in crime across the county which is an outstanding result for the people of Cumbria.

“Anti-social behaviour has reduced by 1% (271 less incidents) across the county. Figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show that the proportion of people surveyed in Cumbria  who say they have experienced or witnessed antisocial behaviour is second of the lowest in the country. This good news for local people who often tell me that tackling antisocial behaviour is a priority. I will continue to work with the Constabulary and partner organisations to reduce the harm it causes.

“There was a reduction in the domestic burglaries but an increase in other types of burglary such as shed thefts. Preventing these crimes is a priority for the Constabulary and I will ensure that it continues to be. Even though we live in a safe county, I would urge everyone to think about the security of their property.

 “Cumbria Constabulary has some of the highest rates for solving crime in the country. However, like a number of police forces across the country, there was a 2 percentage point reduction in its detection rate last year. Bringing criminals to justice is a priority and I have asked the Chief Constable to focus on this. 

“Under reporting still remains an issue and I would urge people, especially those experiencing domestic violence, hate crime and sexual assaults, to come forward. 

“Overall, these figures demonstrate the high-level of dedication and hard-work by the Chief Constable, all officers, PCSOs and police staff together with partners and members of the public.  The Police Authority also has had a key role in providing scrutiny prior to my election in November.

“I have set the policing priorities for Cumbria Constabulary for the next 12 months in line with the Police and Crime Plan.  I will keep you updated on performance as we progress through the year.”

Temporary Chief Constable Bernard Lawson said “I am pleased to see that overall crime in Cumbria remains low.

“Over the last year police officers, PCSOs and staff have been working hard to support our communities to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour and focus on the issues that matter most to local people. This commitment shines through in the latest figures released today showing that crime has fallen by 11%.

“Despite the general overall reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour that these figures show, we will not become complacent. Our priority will always be to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour by  engaging with the people in our local communities so that we can focus our resources on the areas that they feel are important.

“It is important for our communities to know that we are working to tackle burglaries in Cumbria to reduce this type of crime. A vast amount of work has been done by  police officers and staff to target these criminals and promote home security. 

‘’We continue to encourage people to report all incidents to the police. We have experienced and highly skilled officers who want to help those people who are suffering at home due to domestic violence, hate crime and sexual assaults. Our message is always please do not suffer in silence, let us help.

“We are in a difficult financial climate and have adapted our way of working to make necessary changes to save the £17 million required, which by the end we will be a smaller force. However, we are committed in doing everything we can to ensure that this does not impact on the high standards of service our communities receive from Cumbria Constabulary.”