Crime figures
Friday, 25 September 2015
Interesting figures on crime in the area here
Whilst in our area, violent and sexually motivated crime has reduced, the maps also reveal pockets where burglaries and vehicle crime have risen by more than 50 per cent in the four-year period, bucking the downward trend.
The HX7 8 postcode, covering Hebden Bridge, Heptonstall, Mytholmroyd and Old Town, saw a 145 per cent increase in burglaries, rising from 11 in 2011/12 to 27 in 2014/15!
Any ideas why?
From Veronica Roberts
Friday, 25 September 2015
Could it be that there is less policing? Also maybe easy pickings in semi rural areas. I don't know but the stats are quite unsettling.
From Anne H
Friday, 25 September 2015
When the numbers are relatively small, it's a bit misleading to talk about percentages. For instance, at the last Ward Forum the figures for the previous period (12 weeks?) reported about 20 crimes involving vehicles and another 20 or so thefts or burglaries, not from cars. But about half of them were in the same area - fairly remote and difficult to patrol. But they have now charged someone for at least some of these, so it's quite possible that at the next Ward Forum, the numbers will be reduced by 50% - at least until the next spate of thefts.
The Ward Forum is a good place to get the complete picture because you hear about not only the crimes committed but whether or not they are solved. I get the impression there is a relatively small number of criminals carrying out quite a lot of the minor crimes and they do seem to get caught eventually.