Warwick district sees crime figures fall again
Crime figures in the district have shown further reductions over the same period two years ago according to figures released by Warwickshire County Council.
The district’s crime and disorder partnership (CDRP) comprising representatives of Warwick District Council, Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Police and other agencies with crime reduction remits, is heralding reductions in several key areas such as domestic burglary, robbery from the person, thefts of and from vehicles and business crime.
There has also been a large leap in drugs offences reflecting major successes on the Police’s part in detecting and making arrests rather than an increase in drugs crime.
In 2003/2004, a baseline figure for crime in the district was recorded. After two years, those figures have fallen in the following categories.
Crime type
2003/2004 baseline
2005/2006 figure
Change on baseline
Domestic burglary
782
526
-33%
Robbery from the person
110
86
-22%
Theft of vehicle
256
219
-14%
Theft from vehicle
1,223
1,078
-12%
Commercial burglary
471
353
-25%
Shoplifting
654
475
-27%
Drug offences
160
207
+29%
Craig Anderson of Warwick District Council who chairs the CDRP, said: “These figure show a tremendous amount of progress in many key areas. We know from our surveys that domestic burglary is among the most painful crimes. I am delighted that the partnership has enjoyed such great success in what is obviously such an important area.
“Similarly, it has been a period where businesses have enjoyed the fruits of such partnership schemes as the Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative and Shopwatch. Businesses have come together with the district and the Police to use all the tools at our disposal – radio links, CCTV, communication – and have made significant reductions in the rate of business crime.”
Another key area in which there have been major improvements is in alcohol related public disorder. New legislation came into power last November which brought the bars and clubs in Leamington into line with other establishments who have a public entertainment license.
Warwick District Councillor Bill Gifford lives near the town centre and was acutely aware that 24 hour licensing could bring an increase in disorder. However, sitting on the district’s Alcohol and Disorder Group, comprising representatives of the Police and District Council, alongside members of the licensing trade, he has seen at first hand the proactive approach of the partners in ensuring that aspects of the legislation aimed at reducing disorder, not just the 24 hour license, have been introduced. He said:
“It is early days but certainly things are better than most people expected would be the case at the outset of 24 hour licensing. There is good evidence that the district council and the Police have worked together well in ensuring the legislation is effectively enforced.”
One area in which there had been an upturn in the figures was in criminal damage. Again, community safety chiefs are confident that this will soon show improvements. In 2005/2006, Police dealt with 29 offenders who were successfully prosecuted for causing criminal damage and who would have been largely responsible for the increase in the figures.
A robust approach is being taken by partners in the CDRP. As well as the Police’s zero tolerance approach to criminal damage, the district is proactively addressing troublemakers who carry out vandalism or acts of graffiti through the anti-social behaviour officer.
Schemes run in partnership between the district council’s leisure services department and the county council’s Positive about Young People and CHARM are creating diversionary activities for young people in areas where there are high incidence of criminal damage with a full and varied programme being planned throughout the district over the summer months.
Councillor Richard Hobbs, community safety portfolio holder with Warwickshire County Council, said: “The partnerships within Warwick District have taken the right approach to criminal damage. Alongside more strongarm strategies such as warning letters leading, eventually, to prosecution, there is the approach of diverting young people away from potential trouble via positive activities or schemes which give them ownership of projects in their community.”