The Home Offices quarterly update published on 19th January 2012 represents the most recent crime statistics from two different sources: The British Crime Survey (BCS) and police recorded crime figures. Based on British Crime Survey interviews in the year to September 2011 the Government reports “no statistically significant change” in the estimated number of crimes compared with the previous 12-month period.
On a positive note, police recorded crime for the 12 months to last September has tailed off by 4%.
However, it’s not all good news. Police recorded crime figures on Robbery have risen by 4%. The Home Office suggests this has been driven by a 5% increase in the robberies of personal property – such as smart phone, bags and cash. Around 50% of those robberies have taken place in Greater London. The national increase this time round has been driven not only by a 13% hike in the Capital, but also a 10% increase in the West Midlands.
Worryingly, the number of robbery incidents involving knives shows a larger increase – at 10% – than for robberies overall (from 13,971 offences to 15,313).
British Crime Survey estimates for the year to September 2011 reveal no statistically significant change in overall household crime compared to the previous year. The overall estimate of personal crime shows an increase on the prior 12 months.
Police recorded crime figures showed a fall of 4% in domestic burglaries compared with the previous; but no change in the number of other burglaries. There was an apparent increase (of 5%) in the number of BCS burglaries but this was not statistically significant.
Households with ‘less than basic’ home security measures were six times more likely to have been victims of burglary (5.8%) than households with ‘basic’ security (0.9%) and ten times more likely than households with ‘enhanced’ home security measures (0.6%).
