Rise in crime in Newark and Sherwood, latest police recorded statistics show

Crime has increased year-on-year in Newark and Sherwood, according to the latest police recorded figures.

There were 8,165 reported offences between April 2017 and March 2018, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows.

That's up by 14.8% on the previous year, when 7,111 incidents were recorded.

That means there was a rate of 68 crimes per 1,000 residents during 2017-18, below the England and Wales average of 82.

The statistics are based on crimes reported to the police, and the ONS urges caution in interpreting some of these figures.

Some offences go unreported while others may be more numerous due to a change in the focus of the police or greater public attention.

However, the ONS believes crimes such as burglary and car theft, which are generally well reported and recorded, have genuinely increased.

Gun and knife possession offences in Newark and Sherwood rose by eight to 57 incidents.

There were 407 residential burglaries reported in 2017-18.

Due to a change in how the ONS categorises burglaries, the localised figures cannot be compared with other years.

There has been one homicide, a murder or manslaughter. There was one case of death or injury by dangerous driving.

Theft, one of the most high volume crimes, has increased by 25%. Drugs related offences dropped by 47.4%.

According to the ONS police numbers are at their lowest level since 1996, when comparable records began, and nearly half of investigations into recorded crimes are closed without a suspect being identified.

Criminal damage, which includes arson and vandalising cars and houses, has gone up, from 930 incidents in 2016-17, to 1,173 in the latest figures.

While violence with injury, which includes assault, GBH and wounding, has risen, this could just be due to improved police recording as opposed to an increase in incidents.

Similarly sexual crime statistics are hard to judge as many more victims are now coming forward due to a series of high profile cases.

In Newark and Sherwood there were 283 incidents recorded in 2017-18, a 29% rise on the previous year, when 219 crimes were reported.

There were also 513 cases of stalking and harassment reported over the same period.

While national increases show recorded crime has increased by 13%, Nottinghamshire has seen an all crime increase of 18.6%, reflecting regular audits to ensure compliance with the National Crime Recording Standards while the number of calls for assistance rose by 1.9% in the same period.

Firearms offences nationally have seen a rise of 2%, compared to a reduction in Nottinghamshire of 29%.

Knife crime in Nottinghamshire has increased by 11% compared to a national increase of 16%, and 13% within the core cities.

Other offence types in Nottinghamshire are also below the national average, including burglary (4% in Notts compared to 6% nationally), and robbery (23% in Notts, compared to 30% nationally).

Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “Officers in Nottinghamshire continue to arrest, prosecute and convict a significantly higher number of individuals than any of our near neighbours, which reflects the hard work that happens here every day.”

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping said: “The rise in all crime is in line with expectations and reflects a more robust recording system to comply with new national standards.

“I’m pleased a greater number of victims have trusted our services to report their experiences of sexual and domestic violence to police. Victims of crime lie at the heart of my work and I’m encouraged that the new recovery services we’ve developed are encouraging individuals to seek help.

“The addition of extra police officers, taking total strength to 2,000 in the near future, will bolster our neighbourhood policing teams and ensure we continue to rise to the challenges of modern policing."