Crime down in North Yorkshire due to lockdown
There's been 24 per cent drop in recorded crime in North Yorkshire from Apil to June this year, compared to the same period last year.
North Yorkshire Police say the coronavirus lockdown has led to a drop in recorded crime in the county from April to June this year - compared to the same period last year.
Overall recorded crime was down by 24 per cent, while there were big drops in burglary and theft offences, which fell by around 45 per cent.
Vehicle crime and criminal damage offences were also down.
But drug offences and possession of weapons offences went up by around 20 per cent.
Whilst violent crime showed a minor increase year on year thought to be a result of a change in reporting – this also experienced a decrease through the months of April and May, another change likely to be as a result of the lockdown.
In line with this, the number of sexual crimes recorded have decreased but reporting rates have not fallen at the same pace - indicating that victims still have the confidence to come forward and report incidents.
Levels of reported domestic abuse have continued to rise year on year. Partner agencies, charities and other organisations which support domestic abuse victims have reported a rise in demand for their services over the last few months.
Detective Superintendent, Allan Harder, said: “Whilst we were hearing of this increased demand from our partners and in the national media, the number of domestic abuse incidents reported to North Yorkshire Police has remained level. Although victims have been seeking additional support, this is not associated with a significant rise in reported incidents.
North Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable, Mark Pannone, said: “It is clear to see the impact of Covid-19 and the national lockdown on these latest figures and whilst this has meant some reduction in crime, we must not be complacent. We may be seeing less of some types of crime but we know the need for community support and helping individuals to feel safe is more important than ever before.
“We have moved some of our prevention and safeguarding support to online channels and I can reassure our communities that we are still very much here for you. We know this is a really difficult time for our communities and we are adapting to the challenges presented by the pandemic to continue providing the best possible service.”