CRIME in the West Mercia Police area has gone up overall by five per cent in the last year, new statistics have shown.
The figures relating to April 2017 to March this year, show the number of robberies also increased by five per cent.
The number of burglaries has fallen throughout the West Mercia area, with South Worcestershire seeing a 14 per cent decrease and there has been an eight per cent drop in violent crime where victims have been injured in North Worcestershire.
South Worcestershire has seen a two per cent decrease in overall crime in the same time period, as well as a significant 24 per cent drop in the amount of robberies reported.
There has also been a drop in rape and shoplifting in South Worcestershire – by one and three per cent respectively.
West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion claimed the results were good news for communities which wanted to feel safe.
“I am reassured by the rise in public confidence and by the successes across multiple crime types.
“There are always areas we can improve on, and I am committed to building on this success by delivering an effective police service, who are responsive to community concerns”.
Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman added: “We are also seeing the public feel more confident in reporting crimes and while this can lead to an increase in overall recorded crime numbers, it is important that victims feel they can come forward, and are indeed encouraged to.”
The police also point out the overall crime rise across West Mercia is two-thirds better than the national average.
