Devon remains one of the safest places in the country

The latest crime figures have been released

Devon remains one of the safest places in the country according to the latest figures.

The crime figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that overall crime in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly during the 12 months to 30 June 2022, which is lower than the national average rise of 12.5 per cent.

A rise in crime was expected in the figures as they are directly compared with the same months in 2020 and 2021 when the country was in national and regional lockdowns.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Julie Fielding said: “The latest crime statistics demonstrate the ongoing hard work of our officers, staff and volunteers with our partners and communities to ensure that Devon and Cornwall remain amongst the safest places to live. These latest crime figures highlight the areas where we have seen an increase in crime so we can make improvements and target our work to tackle crime going forward.

“There has been a rise of 21.8 per cent of reported sexual offences compared to the same time the previous year. Nationally, policing saw increases in the reporting of rape and sexual offences starting in March 2021. This coincided with the ending of lockdown and an increased focus on Violence Against Women and Girls and our encouragement to victims to report crimes. We are committed to preventing these offences, tackling offenders and ensuring that victims are supported and that crimes are effectively investigated.

"We are continuing to make improvements in bringing offenders to justice. This work includes working with the national Operation Bluestone Soteria team to review our response to crimes of rape and sexual offences to ensure that we provide the best service and the highest standards of investigation. Tackling serious violence, violence against women and girls and sexual offences are all priorities for the Force.

"We continue to tackle drug offences with our work on Operation Scorpion and remain determined to crackdown on county lines drug gangs and reduce the crime and harm that can be caused by drugs."

Burglary offences at residential properties in the two counties have fallen by 1.1 per cent in the last year - nationally they rose by 0.5 per cent.

Deputy Chief Constable Julie Fielding continued: “We recognise how deeply distressing it can be to be a victim of burglary and we attend and investigate all reports of burglaries of homes.”

“We remain absolutely committed to continuing to make improvements in all areas of our work so we can keep our communities safe and tackle those crimes that affect the public the most.”

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “Recorded crime data is one of the tools I use to understand the picture of offending in Devon and Cornwall. A rise in some crime types, such as sexual offences where there has been greater public awareness around the expectation to better protect women and girls, can indicate that victims of crime have greater confidence in the police or are more motivated to seek justice, particularly for offences that may have happened to them as a child or young adult. 

“I am pleased that Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have some of the lowest rates of neighbourhood crimes in the country but there is still much work to be done to tackle violence, including that linked to the illegal drug trade. Our force will be working with five other forces this winter on Operation Scorpion, which will see users and dealers targeted in significant enforcement activity across the South West, telling our communities that our region is no place for drugs.

“The recent inspection into crime recording standards by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services means there is a greater focus on ensuring Devon and Cornwall Police’s crime data is as accurate as it can be.”