Suffolk: One of the Safest Places to Live

Thursday, 12 September 2024 06:00

Suffolk is one of the safest places to live - according to figures from the Office of National Statistics.

Levels of knife crime saw a drop of nearly 30 per cent year on year, while the numbers of other offences including robbery, residential burglary, criminal damage and possession of weapons also fell.

The total recorded crimes covering the 12 months to the end of March 2024 decreased by 12 per cent - which put Suffolk in the top four counties in England and Wales where people are least likely to be victims of crime.

Suffolk is in the top four counties in England and Wales where people are least likely to be victims of crime, according to figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Knife crime saw a year on year drop of nearly 30%, whilst drug offences, robbery, vehicle offences, residential burglary, sexual offences stalking and harassment, theft from person, criminal damage, possession of weapons and public order were among the crime types that saw drops in recorded crimes, compared to the previous 12-month period.

The total recorded crime covering the 12-months to the end of March 2024 show that there were 59.7 crimes per 1000 people*, a decrease of 12% compared to the previous 12 months.

Based on the ONS figures, Suffolk Constabulary is ranked fourth for the lowest levels of recorded crime in the country.

Deputy Chief Constable Rob Jones said: “It is really important to remember first and foremost we are an organisation that puts the victim first, so I offer you my sympathies if you have been the victim of a crime. We remain focused on providing you with a high standard of support bearing in mind the personal upset, anguish and physical and emotional trauma you will have no doubt experienced.

“I hope you can feel assured our force delivery plan is to provide high quality investigations to prosecute and secure convictions for offenders, whilst maximising opportunities to reduce re-offending.

“As I have said previously, there is so much more to policing Suffolk than just a set of figures and these statistics won’t mean much if you have been the victim of a crime.

“It’s also, crucially, about how we act, what we say, what we do and how we respond to people in need, be they victims or witnesses and, of course, how suspects are treated.

“However, I hope people can feel encouraged that these results demonstrate just how hard we are all working to keep people of Suffolk safe and to solve crime and catch criminals.”

The force did see rises in non-residential burglary crime (up 14.5%) and shoplifting (5.8 %).

DCC Jones added: “The drop in knife crime is very encouraging but there is always more we can do. Our proactive approach with dedicated teams that target knife crime and its root causes are reaping reward. This includes intelligence-led deployments, weapons sweeps and high-visibility patrols to target and disrupt offenders. We also work closely with schools and colleges to educate on the dangers of carrying a knife.

“Shoplifting and business burglary still provide us with challenges to address and these figures and trends remain under close scrutiny for us.

“I would reassure retailers who are the victims that we do take action where we have the evidence and in some cases perpetrators can be facing a jail sentence. This was the case recently with two offenders in Bury St Edmunds who in total received 38 weeks in prison for their crimes that included theft.

“Our officers also can use a number of powers to tackle shoplifting such as the Anti-Social Behaviour Act to tackle persistent offenders, use of Community Protection Notices and Criminal Behaviour Orders. Our Design Out Crime Officers can also provide crime prevention advice to many of the shops and business networks regarding what they can do to reduce theft.

“It’s vital that we work with businesses and that they continue to report these crimes so we can investigate and look to prosecute when possible. I’d also remind businesses to check their CCTV is in good order as it is invaluable in providing evidence.

“We can’t do this by ourselves and the support and assistance we receive from the public is absolutely key. We are committed to preventing crime in partnership with our local authorities, businesses and the voluntary sector to solve problems together.

“We never forget how precious the trust and confidence that the public put in us is and we continue to work tirelessly to the benefit of our communities. The response we receive each time we appeal for help to prevent crime or catch criminals is really important to us.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk Tim Passmore said: “This is another very good set of results which I am sure all Suffolk residents and businesses will really welcome.

“We have a small force, one of the lowest funded in the country and it covers one of the largest geographical areas. I truly believe the Suffolk Constabulary punches above its weight and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank officers and staff for their commitment.

“Suffolk is a safe county but there is of course absolutely no room for complacency so the Constabulary must continue to provide a high level of support to all victims.

“The pattern of crime changes relentlessly and we know low crime helps improve prosperity which benefits everyone, that’s why the focus will remain on tackling crime and bringing offenders to justice.”

The figures do exclude fraud:

*Knife crime data is published as crime per 100,000 population.

Suffolk’s national ranking for lowest levels of recorded crime:

Dec 2019 – Dec 2020 – ranked 13th

June 2022 – June 2023 – 6th

Sept 2022 – Sept 2023 – 5th

Dec 2022 – Dec 2023 – 4th

March 2023 – March 2024 – 4th

% change (March 23 – March 24):

Stalking and harassment: -29%

Knife crime: -28.8%

Public order: -24.5%