Police see 13 per cent fall in West Midlands crime with robberies showing biggest drop
Recorded crime in the West Midlands has dropped by 13 per cent over the past year, new figures revealed today.
The force saw the biggest drop in robbery offences, with a 30 per cent reduction to 5,677 crimes in 2012 compared to 2011, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Meanwhile, the number of fraud and forgery, and criminal damage reports to West Midlands Police dropped by 20 per cent.
Figures show that the only crime category to increase in the region was sex offences, which went up by nine per cent.
The figures means there were 174,467 crimes reported last year.
West Mercia Police, which covers areas including Shifnal and Albrighton, recorded an 11 per cent drop in crime while Staffordshire Police saw a seven per cent drop.
Nationally, the total number of police-recorded crimes fell eight per cent to 3.7 million.
But the figures showed that pick-pocketing was on the rise as thieves increasingly target smartphones.
The number of police-recorded instances of 'theft from the person' rose eight per cent in the year to December 2012, which represents a speeding-up of recent increases. The ONS said anecdotal evidence suggested this is in part driven by smartphone theft, including the 'phenomena' of passing bike riders stealing phones from pedestrians' hands.
Deputy Chief Constable Dave Thompson, from West Midlands Police, said today: "The figures released today by the Office for National Statics are really encouraging.
"They clearly show that despite hugely challenging times, the West Midlands Police is performing well particularly when compared to other similar sized forces.
"I would like to praise my officers and staff and key partners for achieving this phenomenal result against a backdrop of unprecedented change in policing and I thank them for their tireless dedication and professionalism during this time.
"I also thank the public who have acted on our security advice or have shared information with officers about those responsible for crime. After all, our ability to investigate crimes, catch offenders and bring them to justice relies on local people sharing information with us."
Crime prevention minister Jeremy Browne added: "Crime continues to fall – recorded crime is down by more than 10 per cent under this Government and the independent survey shows crime is at its lowest level since records began.It is particularly encouraging that this downward trend is replicated across every force in England and Wales. They have shown impressive ability to make necessary budget reductions while still cutting crime."
