Crime fell by more than seven per cent across the West Midlands last month – but police are still only solving just over a quarter of all cases.
There were 20,458 recorded offences, compared to 22,081 last February, with vandalism, crimes against businesses and race hate offences all falling.
So far this year total crime is down by more than 10 per cent.
But police are still only solving 26 per cent of all crimes, a figure which is up by 0.2 per cent when compared to February last year.
Crime was down by more than a quarter in the west of Wolverhampton, including areas such as Tettenhall and the city centre.
But the encouraging figures are in sharp contrast to the east of the city, where it rose by more than 20 per cent.
In the areas covered by Wednesfield police, which include Low Hill, Bilston and Ashmore Park, crimes against businesses rose 42 per cent, criminal damage went up by 16 per cent and the number of racially aggravated crimes doubled.
Crime in parts of the Dudley borough rose by almost five per cent.
In the south which covers Stourbridge and Halesowen offences against businesses went up by 16 per cent.
The north of the borough fared better with figures showing a drop in overall crime by 12 per cent.
In Smethwick, crime fell by seven per cent and in Walsall it was slashed by 19 per cent.
The figures also show the number of serious and fatal crashes on the road’s of the West Midlands rocketed by 60 per cent last month.
There were 32 major crashes, compared to just 20 in February last year, despite police having hoped to cut the number of serious accidents by four per cent.
Those killed on the region’s roads in February included Marcella Barnes, aged 47, of Tettenhall, who was struck by a car which then failed to stop on Ring Road St Patrick’s during the morning rush hour.
10 Comments
Crime figures can always be fudged to look good by reclassification of some types of crime but nevertheless it still looks like crime generally pays. Howcome serious and fatal crashes are discussed under the heading of crime? Aren’t they accidents?
rubbish and it’s cost us thousands for some mega money grabbing company to tell us it’s safe to walk the streets try walking the streets in run down areas at night then you’ll see the real figures.
What utter rubbish.
yes as if how many crimes downgraded so dont show up and how many dont get reported because a waste of time more spin again do these people actually think we believe this garbage.yes and i hope the people putting these figures out are reading this
Yes, some more spin and…no I better not say it. The worst thing is that they believe it themselves!!
” There were 20,458 recorded offences, compared to 22,081 last February, with vandalism, crimes against businesses” Daaaaaaaaa!! can someone tell the numb sculls thats only because folk have given up on calling the Police.
Police are only solving 26% of crime!!!
I’ve just recieved my “INCREASED” rates bill……..Policing bill (no pun intended) 65%!!!!!!!!
i totally agree with dudley bloke, there is absolutely no point in reporting crime, the police turn up two weeks after (if you are lucky) and then say “can you prove it?” what a useless bunch of wasters. as for the council tax, dont get me started!
These figures probably discount any crimes committed by “eastern europeans”. Lies….damn lies…. and statistics.
Total and sheer codswallop - to all those spinning such rubbish, please don’t insult the intelligence of the general public !!!
It’s going down because nobody bothers reporting it anymore. If the police bother to catch offenders the courts let them off anyway
Do not believe the figures! The stats are like the ones from education and the NHS – manipulated and presented in a way to ‘prove’ that things are getting better.