Violent crime reports in Hampshire double in four years

A total of 51,673 offences were reported in the 12 months up to June this year, compared with 21,963 in the same period four years ago.

Hampshire’s police and crime commissioner Michael Lane says the rise is down to ‘better recording and confidence to report’, but is still an ‘issue for communities’.

Officers received 156,996 crime reports between June 2016 and June this year, compared with 133,439 in the previous 12 months.

Commissioner Michael Lane said: ‘I want to start by reassuring everyone that we are fortunate to very largely live in a safe area.

‘But each vulnerability realised, each crime experienced means I will never be complacent about this.

‘That the statistics show some rises in crime are real.

‘Better recording and confidence to report are good things, but the rise in violent crime is an issue for 
communities and all partners in keeping us safe.’

Violent crimes include murder, assault, harassment and stalking.

The number of public order offences recorded has risen from 11,077 to 14,946 over the last year, while robberies increased from 701 to 1,076.

But there was a fall in drug offences reported, down to 3,549 from 4,135 last year.

Mr Lane added that knife crime, hate crime and modern slavery, and cyber fraud were among the offences the force was focusing on.

He said: ‘Theft remains a concern to the public. This is particularly so when there is no threat of harm and it becomes lower in priority despite each occasion being key to those involved.

‘Here it is about priorities to keep us safer – and resources do not stretch always to this area.

‘I have made the case for a fairer national funding formula, which would help. But the economic pressures remain very challenging.’

Forces in England and Wales registered a total of 5.2 million offences in the year to the end of June – a 13 per cent rise on the previous 12 months.

It included 1.2 million violent crimes, which was up by a fifth.