New Essex Police robbery figures show 10% drop in the crime
Figures from April to June of this year have been compared to those from the same period 12 months ago
New figures released by Essex Police have revealed that personal robberies are down by 10% across the County compared to last year.
The figures from the Force compare the period of April to June from this year, to the same period in 2023.
Overall personal robbery was down by 10%, with 145 fewer offences compared to last year.
The figures also show that the number of personal robberies has gone down by 20% compared to five years ago.
Essex Police say that combatting high-harm crime like robbery is a priority for the force.
Officers have been tackling the crime in several ways, including high visibility patrols in hotspot areas and partnership working in local communities where crime prevention advice is shared to help them reduce their risk of becoming a victim.
Areas with biggest decrease:
- Rochford saw the largest drop in robberies with a 75% decrease in the crime
- Castle Point and Thurrock both saw a decrease of 45%
- Southend saw robbery rates drop by 37%
- Epping Forest District has seen a reduction of 36 per cent, while Chelmsford saw a 35 per cent reduction
Superintendent Tim Tubbs, the strategic lead for robbery, said:
“Seeing a substantial fall in personal robbery across the county shows that our operations are working and our hard work to tackle this type of offending is having an impact.
"But I want to be very clear, one robbery is one too many. We will continue with our efforts to bring the numbers down.
"We are using tactics ranging from covert operations to carrying out visible patrols and empowering our communities by sharing crime prevention advice.
"Not only are we seeing fewer robberies being committed, but when an incident is reported to us, we are bringing more people before the courts.”
Supt Tubbs added:
“We understand the impact robbery can have.
"And while the risk of being impacted by this crime is very low, we know that is no comfort if you have been a victim and that is why we continue to drive forward with our work to tackle this type of offending.”